There are several ways you can access your medical records.
Online Access
Having online access either by NHS APP or SystmOnline is ideal for patients who would like to keep regular checks on their test results, review their hospital letters or order medication.
More features and functionality to these apps are being added regularly.
Ask a member of staff
If you need a copy of something from your record, talk to a member of staff. Often we can issue copies without the need to wait weeks for a Subject Access Request to be completed. As we are a Greener Practice, our preference will be to issue your documents electronically however we can always provide paper copies.
Subject Access Requests (SARs)
In brief, all patients are within their rights to request full copies of their records under the new GDPR rules for free. We will issue you copies of your electronic and any paper records we hold.
SARs requests should be completed within 28 days.
We fully understand it is our legal obligation and there is no charge, however due to the length of time these requests take to complete, we do ask patients to consider if a SARs request is the most the most appropriate way of getting the information they need. For example; if you would like copies of your tests results for the last year or you would like copies of your hospital letters - this can all be done via either of the available online apps or we can print copies of just the information you need.
Information from other health care organisations
Like most GP practices and health care organisations we use an electronic shared patient record system. Patients who have been seen, consulted or treated by other services will have records "owned" by those organisations. While these other organisations may allow us to view some of this electronic data, we do not have access to all the information nor do we control this data. Therefore, it is the responsibility of that organisation to provide any records they hold under a Subject Access Request (SAR).
We, Castle Donington Surgery, are unable provide records controlled/owned by another organisations under a Subject Access Request. For example, we do not routinely include information from district nurses or hospitals in a SAR response. For patients who wish to see the records owned by any of these other units, we ask them to contact these organisations directly to submit a Subject Access Request.
Please click here to access a list of common organisations that may have contributed to your record, and the details of how to apply for a SAR.
Postage & fees
Due to the sensitive nature of printed medical records, records are to be collected in person by the patient from reception. If records are required to be sent to a third party, this remains the responsibility of the patient to arrange. Castle Donington Surgery is not liable for the physical transportation of medical records or any associated postage fees.
