Gotta get this off my chest!!

[metalmonkey]

Sorry I have got to get this off my chest and perhaps someone may have a suggestion. Have just returned from my Drs...you know when you think you have a sensible idea!!

I stupidly asked if I could take my medical redords with me when I move out in April...oh my god you'd think I'd threatened to nuke them.... they don't belong to you the receptionist snapped....who do they belong to I asked...the NHS he replied...so can I copy them....certainly not!! so can I come in and make notes...that would be upto the Dr to decide if you can do that....realising that I was not going to get anywhere and also quickly getting annoyed I thought it best to retreat and re group.

Has anyone else had a similar experience or was it really such a dreadful request.

I must also add that i live in a very small middle England village , think of the Vicar of Dibley and you have it---- Parish Council and all.

sorry to go on but had to tell someone!

cheers

Jules

[Bongtrees]

I think this has been covered recently and apparently you are entitled to a copy of your records not the original..(call your local health authority or CAB for clarification)

Apparently some surgeries charge, some do not.

I think most British people in Spain will tell you that they have never needed them here because any illness is investigated thoroughly and where needed, x-rays, complicated blood tests, scans are done very quickly with no waiting as experienced in UK.

So unless you are currently receiving treatment or have a disability, maybe you wont need to bother.

HTH

Mike

[spanish_lad]

*cough* [official voice]

you are entitled to request a copy of your medical records from your gp. they will normally charge 10 pounds for this, regardless of the number of pages.

[/oficial voice]


and before anyone pops up and says anything, my aunt is records manager for a certain london hospital.

[metalmonkey]

Hi many thanks for the info , nost helpful. I'mjust about calming down now!

cheers

Jules

[sioban]

When I left England over two years ago with my family the drs gave us our medical forms without any hassel.

[curatokid]

Here in Spain we keep all our medical records including x-rays etc, we have done this since both of our files were "lost" by the Malaga hospital.

[Shukran]

I got a copy of my medical records without any problems at all. The nurse at my UK surgery suggested me having a copy even before I asked. They were ready the following day and cost me nothing!

However, my Spanish doctor wasn't the least bit interested in it (he doesn't speak English) and gave me them back. They're now filed away at home just in case...

[spanish_lad]

...However, my Spanish doctor wasn't the least bit interested in it (he doesn't speak English) and gave me them back...

did u expect him to? you live inland. in spain. why would he speak english ?

[Shukran]

did u expect him to? you live inland. in spain. why would he speak english ?

No - I didn't expect him to speak English, but some do and some don't. That wasn't the point I was making - and you know it!

I was trying to show how easy I found it to obtain my UK medical records but I would still have thought that my Spanish doctor would have kept them for future reference.

[spanish_lad]

and my point is, why would he care? for all he knows they are just bits of paper with funny writing on...

its up to you to get things like that translated, not him

[Shukran]

He should care because he's a doctor and the 'bits of paper with funny writing on' is obvious to the least intelligent doctor I would have thought. Just because my doctor at the practice doesn't speak English it doesn't necessarily mean that others in the practice don't understand. He may not always be at the same practice and some day may be replaced by an English speaking doctor. There are many reasons why I would have thought that this information would have been retained, but it's not worrying me at all. I have heard before that a lot of medical names and prescribed medications are understandable to doctors all over the world, so a quick scan of the list would give him an insight.