Medical records access?

Pretty much - ask. Some have all sorts of complicating rules and requirements but the fundamental is that you ask the organisation properly and see what they do. No special form should be required but they can be awkward - especially when it comes to proof of your identify.

The Information Commissioner's Office has some guidance:

I have now emailed the hospital trust, to see if I can gain ongoing online access to my patient records with the trust. I'll update when they respond.

Its complicated. According to the nhs app after you have completed loads of security checks you can view them on this app, The small print says something along he lines of , where the trust uses compatible data transfer systems and the records exist in an electronic form. In other words, another chocolate teapot. Brian

Brian Gaff (Sofa) formulated on Friday :

I tried one general enquiry email address for the trust, which bounced, tried changing .uk to .net, which I know they used and that also bounced, I have now ended up filling in a general online web page enquiry form (which I hate doing), see what result that produces.

Are you joking ?. You need to be an authorised user of the NHS intranet to do that.

After some compo ?

You may find that many recent and historic records are on paper.

According today's newspaper articles the Police have instant access to your medial records so what is the problem with someone having the same access to their own records?

Is your access via the EMIS Patient Access system? If so, have you looked at the "Documents" section. Mine contains quite a lot of detail about hospital referrals and test results, etc.

Some bits of the NHS have been providing patients full access to at least some hospital records for years.

I know one area is kidney patients, in one area, who are positively encouraged to involve themselves and check everything.

One issue - the patients have to sign up that they understand they might get bad news directly - not through some doctor gently letting them know.

How many other bodies besides? Your local/district council? The social security lot (whatever they're called these days) - where does it all end? You'd better be careful, you lot. Next thing you know, the entire UK's health records will be posted online for everyone to see. Or else circulated on a set of DVDs for the fraudsters in Nigeria to f*ck you over with. Medical records were once sacrosanct between patient and his/her family doctor. No longer. You have no real privacy any more as you become more and more commodified. Does no one notice all these valuable freedoms and protections slipping away year after year?

Lucky you. Nothing in my patientaccess.com documents section.

One of the problems was precisely that. No-one, patients themselves, relatives, other medics, could reliably obtain access - however justified.

One of the promises was that any data given to a third party would be anonymised. For instance those doing medical research don't necessary need your name or address.

It seems that this may longer be the case and the Police may be able to obtain an individuals records, and without a court order.

One reporter on Radio4 the other day took this one step forward.

Apparently less than 20% of people with Covid symptoms go for a test and then self isolate. Many of these people who don't have the test are low paid and/or in the gig economy and/or self employed and continue to work with many in the kind of job that involves mixing with people.

The radio report stated that if the Police had access to the medical records then they could enforce self isolation better. The reporter didn't seem to realise what was being said was complete bollox. Anyone failing to go for a test would have zero information about this in their medical records. Track and trace cannot even keep adequate records to trace contacts nor give people with positive results a reference in order for them to claim a money grant to help with self isolation. Even those with a positive test would be unlikely to have it in their medical records.

You lucky, luck bastard!!!

I used to be on EMIS and it was pretty damn good at showing your records and test results, and showing historical data as well.

I am now having to use System Online which makes a chocolate teapot seem a superbly well thought out design.

Cheers

Dave R

It's actually called systmonline, they can't even spell.

If the police have access to your records, then so naturally, do the Freemasons. So whereas before any Freemason anywhere could ask a colleague in the police to get your rap sheet, said Mason can now get all your confidential medical records, too. So that amiable chap you chat to in the pub or the club, plus any of his pals, can read up all about your medical history behind your back. Got anything there you'd rather keep confidential? Tough luck. Take another look around that pub or club you frequent and know you can no longer be certain the fact you 'can't get it up' or whatever is something only you and your doctor know about.

Just a little vowel trouble?

Chris

Absolutely not. I just wish to be more in touch with my health.