Access to Medical Records England and Wales

[DCUKMod]

I appreciate this isn't a question, but it relates to questions quite often posed on Forum.

Oftentimes, we will ask a member what their blood test results were, only to learn that some of us have issues accessing comprehensive information related to our own health and medical records.

I am one of the fortunate who have access to my full medical record, so I can see the same as my GP, albeit blood test results are only revealed to me, once viewed by her.

For anyone not so fortunate, living in England of Wales, the following links may be helpful.

https://healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...esolving-problems-accessing-gp-online-records.

https://healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...-on-the-future-of-digital-healthcare-in-wales

As you can see the links direct back to Health Unlocked, another health forum, with sections for many, many conditions. Other than being a member of a couple of the sub-fora, I have no relationship with Health Unlocked, but I am grateful to their thyroid and coeliac/gluten communities, whilst addressing challenges of my own.

I do hope this helps someone.

 

[zand]

Very helpful, thank you.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Very useful. I do have access to my test results and patient record on SystemOnline. There are in fact three levels with SystemOnline (and Patient Access?). The first let's you see your Patient record but not Test Results. The next level allows Test Result Access and the third level gives you access to consultant notes etc. This last level is rarely given out but is used by surgery staff. I find it appalling that access is part of the NHS GP Contract and they should have provided access around 2 years ago but many surgeries knowingly refuse it. You can always complain anyway to your local CCG.

 

[DCUKMod]

Hi. Very useful. I do have access to my test results and patient record on SystemOnline. There are in fact three levels with SystemOnline (and Patient Access?). The first let's you see your Patient record but not Test Results. The next level allows Test Result Access and the third level gives you access to consultant notes etc. This last level is rarely given out but is used by surgery staff. I find it appalling that access is part of the NHS GP Contract and they should have provided access around 2 years ago but many surgeries knowingly refuse it. You can always complain anyway to your local CCG.

I have access to my full record, so can see consultant notes, correspondence twixt GP and Endo etc. I had to ask for it specifically, then make a subsequent request for access to my full record for my whole of life. The routine is (at my Surgery in any case) only to grant full access for the previous 18 months (or it might have been 2 years).

I found that astonishing as I had already had whole life access to test results and Summary/Coded Record.

It's almost like there's a lot of making it up as we go along going on.

 

[Goonergal]

I have only just - about a month ago - got very limited access to online medical records. That was after constant badgering over a couple of years of various doctors/staff at the surgery. It’s limited to medication and test results. The test results are incomplete- several of the older ones just say ‘microbiology’ and give a date. No notes or anything like that. Will need to push for the rest.

 

[lindisfel]

I have only just - about a month ago - got very limited access to online medical records. That was after constant badgering over a couple of years of various doctors/staff at the surgery. It’s limited to medication and test results. The test results are incomplete- several of the older ones just say ‘microbiology’ and give a date. No notes or anything like that. Will need to push for the rest.

Mine were like that, I couldn't even see my blood results, it was pointless.
I gave up.
D.

 

[Daibell]

Mine were like that, I couldn't even see my blood results, it was pointless.
I gave up.
D.

I wouldn't give up but insist the surgery provide access and remind the Practice Manager that you have a right o online access. Talk to your surgery PPG. I'm on our surgery PPG team and our Practice Manager said it is only withheld if someone suffers from a mental health or other condition where the information might cause them anxiety.

 

[DCUKMod]

Mine were like that, I couldn't even see my blood results, it was pointless.
I gave up.
D.

Lindisfel, thinking back, I had to make several written applications to get what I wanted, and consider I need, to be an engaged patient, who is low maintenance, relating to things like blood test results and so on.

Initially, my application was for what was available at the time - appointments and repeats (which at that point, ehld no interest for me), then for my Coded/Summary record, then the request for the expanded record, which was time limited to a short historic period, with the final, "I'd like to see everything forever" request.

Of course, it was all a royal pain, but sometimes jumping the hoops is easier than protesting against it, in my mind anyway.

 

[Daphne917]

I have only just - about a month ago - got very limited access to online medical records. That was after constant badgering over a couple of years of various doctors/staff at the surgery. It’s limited to medication and test results. The test results are incomplete- several of the older ones just say ‘microbiology’ and give a date. No notes or anything like that. Will need to push for the rest.

Mine were like that, I couldn't even see my blood results, it was pointless.
I gave up.
D.

I have the same issue - only able to order repeat medications and, pre Covid, make appointments on line. I have repeatedly asked for online access but have been told that it depended on what the surgery signed up to when the online system was introduced. Ironically my GP surgery uses Patient Access (or not in my case)!

 

[Daibell]

I have the same issue - only able to order repeat medications and, pre Covid, make appointments on line. I have repeatedly asked for online access but have been told that it depended on what the surgery signed up to when the online system was introduced. Ironically my GP surgery uses Patient Access (or not in my case)!

Sounds like BS to me by the surgery

 

[Daphne917]

Sounds like BS to me by the surgery

Probably is but no matter how hard I try I can’t get access. They’ve just signed up to AskmyGP but closed it last week due to too many patients using it!