Access to Medical Records
Important Information BEFORE YOU APPLY FOR OR ACCESS YOUR RECORDS:
It will be your responsibility to keep your login details and password safe and secure.
If you know or suspect that your record has been accessed by someone that you have not agreed should see it, then you should change your password immediately.
If you can’t do this for some reason, we recommend that you contact us so that we can remove online access until you are able to reset your password.
If you print out any information from your record, it is your responsibility to keep this secure. If you are at all worried about keeping printed copies safe, we recommend that you do not make copies at all.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have read and understood the following:
Forgotten history - There may be something you have forgotten about in your record that you might find upsetting.
Abnormal results or bad news - If your GP has given you access to test results or letters, you may see something that you find upsetting to you. This may occur before you have spoken to your doctor or while the surgery is closed and you cannot contact them.
Choosing to share your information with someone - It’s up to you whether or not you share your information with others – perhaps family members or carers. It’s your choice, but also your responsibility to keep the information safe and secure.
Coercion - If you think you may be pressured into revealing details from your patient record to someone else against your will, it is best that you do not register for access at this time.
Pros and Cons of accessing your records
The NHS wants to give people better ways to see their personal health information online; you have the right to request electronic access to your GP medical record.
PROs:
- You can see test results done by the surgery faster with no need to phone the GP;
- You can read and review notes from your appointments in your own time;
- If you need to share medical evidence for any reason, you can access this yourself and share what you feel is appropriate.
CONs:
- Test results and letters are placed on your medical records and your GP may not have had the opportunity to review and counsel you before you can see it;
- GP requested results, when viewed online, will automatically be marked by the clinical system as "patient informed" when there has been no other contact with the surgery;
- We are under an obligation to ensure we protect third parties who might be mentioned in your records as it could breach their rights to confidentiality. We therefore require time to process your records prior to giving you access.
Please consider these points prior to accessing your records as it is not right for everyone.
PATIENT ONLINE ACCESS TO RECORDS
You can apply for access to your medical records via the contact us form HERE
Or by using the latter part of the New Patient form which can be found on this web page. Please complete form A for Access for yourself or Form B for Proxy Access if required
Your medical record will be reviewed prior to online access being granted. Application does not necessarily mean access will automatically be granted.
Information about someone else - If you spot something in the record that is not about you or notice any other errors, please log out of the system immediately and contact the practice as soon as possible
PROSPECTIVE ONLINE ACCESS TO RECORDS
Did you know you can get prospective (relating to or effective in the future) online access to your medical records?
Please click HERE to request this.
Once we receive this form will be reviewed and you will be contacted with your log on details once processed – please be patient.
Help me understand?
If you find anything difficult to understand, as well as talking to us, you can go to the NHS Choices website by using this link www.nhs.uk.
This is the NHS website for patients so you can look for information on illnesses, improving health and to find NHS services in your local area.
Other websites used to search for information on illnesses and test results are:
Although these are not owned or checked by the NHS, other patients have found them useful.
Proxy Access
A Proxy is a person authorised to act on behalf of another or the authority to represent someone else.
Permission from the patient will be always be sought however, if the patient does not have capacity to consent to grant proxy access and proxy access is considered by the practice to be in the patient’s best interest it may still be granted.
Proxy access application will not be accepted from any third party commercial company i.e. Insurance company or solicitors.
We require, two forms of documentation as evidence of identity for each party involved (including the patient - this might be waved when the proxy is clearly the parent/person with Parental Responsibility), one must contain a photograph.
Acceptable documents include passports, photo driving licences and bank statements.
If none of the above is available household bills may be accepted at the discretion of the Practice Manager.
Note: Up until a child’s 13th birthday, the usual position would be for the parents of the child to control access to their child’s record and online services, this will cease automatically when the child reaches the age of 13. Any subsequent proxy access will need authorisation by the patient subject to a (Gillick) competency test being completed by a clinician.