Under the Data protection Act patients have a right to see their medical records. The Access to Health Records Act 1990 gave individuals the right of access, subject to certain exceptions, to health information recorded about themselves, and, in certain circumstances, about others, within manual records. The Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998 came into force in March 2000 and repealed most of the 1990 Access to Health Records Act.
- Medical records consist of both computer held and paper records. These records are carefully stored and treated with the utmost confidentiality at all times.
- Other healthcare professionals may sometimes require access to medical records e.g health visitors, midwives etc.
- Occasionally the doctors receive requests from third party organisations such as Solicitors or Insurance companies for information from a patient's medical records.
- Where a solicitor makes a request for records, the patient will be written to prior to the release of the records and information will only be disclosed with the prior consent of the patient to the practice.
- Please remember that all relevant information will be released as requested. If you require any further information regarding the above please ask at reception
Quinborne Medical Practice has a policy of openness with regard to health records and health professionals are encouraged to allow patients to access their health records on an informal basis. This policy however, is not followed when the doctor judges that the release of certain information would be damaging to the patient’s health or would compromise the confidentiality of another third party.