Health records

Each time you engage with an NHS service in the UK, be it with a GP, a hospital or a dental practice, a record is made of that engagement.

This record will include information such as:

• treatments issued to you
• treatments you are already taking
• medical conditions
• allergies
• information on medicines that might cause you to have a reaction
• test and scan results
• notes made by your doctor
• hospital reports
• or personal data such as your name and address

Ideally, a doctor or healthcare professional should be able to access this information when you consult with them, so that they can make an informed decision when giving you advice or treatment.

The NHS keeps an electronic record called the Summary Care Record (SCR) which stores this information. It enables your health info to be shared more efficiently between different practices and hospitals, so that doctors can be better informed about the patients they are treating. A Summary Care Record includes information such as your:

• name
• address
• date of birth
• allergies
• current medicines
• and details on any medicines you can’t take

You can access and download your Summary Care Record yourself. You can find more information on how to do this here.

When you consult with us, you can upload your Summary Care Record for our clinicians to see or give them consent to access and view it. This data is kept secure, and handled in accordance with data protection regulations.

To help them provide the best possible treatment, our clinicians will sometimes ask if they can access your SCR, so that they see your health information and get a better picture of what’s right for you. This is an essential requirement for some treatments – in certain cases for example, we need to know that you’re already taking a treatment on the recommendation of a doctor. The SCR helps our clinicians to confirm this.

We will only access your SCR when you give us permission to do so. Even if you grant us access, we will only access your SCR when we need to, in order to make sure your care is safe and appropriate. We will only access the parts of your SCR that are relevant to the care we’re providing. No-one except the clinical staff involved in your care will be able to access your information. Your SCR will show who has accessed it and when. It is important to note that you can change your mind about sharing the information in your SCR at any time.

For some conditions, we’re required to inform your GP if you receive treatment from us, but for others, it’s optional. In any case, we recommend letting them know about every treatment you get so that they can keep your records accurate and up to date.

No. For the majority of conditions we treat, a clinician can safely prescribe without having to see your health record first.

But for some conditions, reviewing your health record may be necessary.

Using the NHS app

This is normally the quickest way to access your SCR.

1. Download and/or log in to your NHS app.
2. Under GP surgery, select “Book an appointment”.
3. Then select “Ask about a health problem” (if this option isn’t available for you, you’ll need to access your SCR by emailing your GP or visiting them in person).
4. Then hit “Continue”, confirm that the patient is you, and check your date of birth is correct.
5. At the bottom of the next page, select “I confirm, none are present”.
6. You should then be asked to provide information in a text box – type “I would like a copy of my medical records”.
7. In any subsequent mandatory text boxes, write “N/A”.
8. Review and submit your request.

Once you’ve submitted your request, your GP surgery will review it and should get back to you within two working days.

In person

Tell the receptionist that you’d like to request a copy of your Summary Care Record. They may want to see your ID, so make sure you bring it along. You don’t have to provide a specific reason for your request, but you can share that you’ve been asked to provide them by an online health provider if you wish.

If you live in Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland

Your NHS GP will keep a medical record for you under a different name if you live outside of England.

• In Scotland, you’ll have an Emergency Care Summary (ECS) or Key Information Summary (KIS). You can view or request these online via MyCare.scot or by contacting your GP surgery directly.
• In Wales, you’ll have a GP Record. You can request a copy of these using the NHS Wales app or by contacting your GP surgery.
• In Northern Ireland, the equivalent is a Northern Ireland Electronic Care Record (NIECR). You can request a copy of this using the My Care patient portal or by contacting your GP surgery.