5 Questions About Accessing Your Medical Records in the UK
Accessing your medical records starts with the organisation holding them: your GP practice, hospital or another provider. You can ask for copies through a subject access request, SAR. Online access may be quicker for some information, but it is not necessarily a complete record. I would identify the documents needed and their holder before sending a request.
1. Who holds my medical records?
Ask your GP practice for GP records and the relevant hospital organisation for hospital records. Dentists, opticians and private providers may hold separate information. One request to your GP does not necessarily retrieve every clinical document created elsewhere.
Look for the provider’s records-access or privacy information, which usually identifies the appropriate team. Across the UK, the right of access applies to personal information, but NHS organisations and online services differ between countries.
Local PR Services UK lists a general NHS appointment article, but appointment booking and records disclosure are separate tasks. Send the request to the actual record holder rather than a publication discussing healthcare access.
2. Will an app show everything?
Not necessarily. In England, the NHS App can show information from your GP record, including new entries made available by the practice. Older documents, hospital imaging and information held in separate systems may not all appear there.
Ask the practice what is available online and how to request anything missing. Elsewhere in the UK, check the relevant national and local digital services rather than assuming England’s app arrangements apply. Losing app access does not remove your right to request copies.
If you need actual scan images, say so: an imaging report and the images themselves are different items. Similarly, ask for the relevant clinical correspondence if a short results screen does not answer your question.
3. What should my request include?
Provide your name, date of birth, contact details and useful identifying information, such as your NHS number if known. Include previous names or addresses where relevant. Specify dates, departments and document types to help the organisation find the information.
You do not need a solicitor or a special legal explanation. Requests can be made in writing or verbally, although a written copy helps track what you asked for. You do not have to explain why you want the information.
Ask for a usable format, including accessibility requirements. The organisation may need to verify identity; use its secure process and avoid sending documents through public comments on Manchester Chronicle. Keep the request, acknowledgement and any reference number together.
4. Is there a charge, and how long does it take?
Most subject access requests are free. Organisations usually have one month to respond, although lawful extensions or pauses can apply in particular circumstances. Ask the records team to explain its deadline and any information it needs from you rather than assuming every request has an identical timetable.
If more time is needed, ask for the reason and expected response date. Copies may contain redactions to protect another person’s information or where another lawful restriction applies. An incomplete-looking page is not, by itself, proof that information was improperly withheld.
Check the explanation accompanying the response. If you remain dissatisfied, contact the organisation first and then consider a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office. A discussion on Glasgow Bulletin cannot determine whether a particular exemption was applied correctly.
If a request concerns a deceased person, ask the provider which access rules apply. This is not the same process as requesting your own personal information, and entitlement depends on the circumstances and legal authority.
5. Can I request someone else’s records or correct errors?
You need appropriate authority to receive another person’s information. Being a relative does not automatically grant access. The provider may ask for written permission or evidence of legal authority and must consider the relevant circumstances.
For errors in your own records, identify the exact entry and explain the correction sought. A factual mistake and disagreement with a clinician’s recorded opinion are different issues. Ask how your concern can be reviewed or added to the record. Keep the original response secure, because medical documents can reveal much more than the particular information you initially wanted.
This article provides general information about accessing records, not individual legal advice; consult the record holder or the ICO about your circumstances.