By Eddie Jones, companion and head of medical negligence at JMW Solicitors
Each time a medical professional examines you, they replace your medical information with details about your sickness or situation and the care and therapy you obtained. You could be curious to know whether or not you’ll be able to entry your medical information whenever you want them. Right here, JMW’s medical negligence workforce appears to be like at your rights to entry to your medical information.
What are medical information?
Docs, nurses and different healthcare suppliers add notes to a affected person’s medical file, together with observations, the administration of medicines and therapies, prescriptions, and the outcomes of exams and X-rays. Moreover, they might comprise appointment notes and letters from physicians and different healthcare professionals.
Why would I must entry my medical information?
Viewing medical information would possibly provide help to higher perceive your situation or therapy, or it may provide help to get able to make a grievance in case you have issues together with your medical care. You may additionally be eager about researching your medical historical past out of sheer curiosity.
Am I in a position to entry my very own medical information?
You’ll be able to entry your personal medical information, and you aren’t required to supply a motive on your request. If it is advisable to, you can too permit entry to different people, corresponding to a solicitor or your loved ones.
Find out how to appropriate an error in your medical information
If you happen to spot an error in your medical information, you need to inform somebody on the NHS service liable for their upkeep, corresponding to your GP surgical procedure who will have the ability to support you in updating it.
Can I nominate another person to view my information for me?
Sure. One other particular person, corresponding to a solicitor, could be chosen to assessment your information; nevertheless, it is advisable to give written consent. With out this permission, your medical information are fully confidential. Nobody ought to have the ability to see them with out your permission until they’re an authorised healthcare skilled or have authorized authority to handle your affairs.
How do I entry my medical information?
Most sufferers can have computerized entry to information on-line that has been added to their GP report since 2022. This class consists of letters, check outcomes and appointment notes. It’s doable that some sufferers might be able to entry information that predate November 2022.
There are two essential methods to get entry to your docs’ information.
1. By chatting with your GP surgical procedure
You’ll be able to ask on your GP report at your GP surgical procedure.
If you’re having problem accessing your medical information or would love extra recommendation on how to take action, contact an skilled solicitor to obtain professional recommendation.
2. Utilizing your NHS account
You’ll be able to entry your GP report by logging into your account on the NHS web site or app.
You need to first enroll and supply identification for on-line companies.
Utilizing the NHS web site or app will solely allow you to see your prescriptions and allergy symptoms. To get a duplicate of your whole medical report, you need to ask your GP.
If you happen to discover that you’ve got any questions concerning your therapy or discrepancies present in your medical report, converse to your GP surgical procedure to rearrange an appointment to debate the difficulty in additional depth.
Your Rights to Accessing Your Medical Data is a collaborative submit