What are health records?
Your health records contain information about your healthcare. They are made by doctors, nurses or other health professionals and can include:
- details about you, for example your date of birth, address, next of kin, gender, language, ethnicity, any disabilities you have
- hand-written clinical notes
- electronic clinical notes
- letters to and from other health professionals
- laboratory reports and results
- imaging scans such as x-rays
- printouts from monitoring equipment
- photographs and other recordings.
For more information, see our leaflet How we use and protect your health information (PDF 35Kb).
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Can I access my health records?
Yes, with very rare exceptions (such as where the member(s) of staff caring for you believe this would cause serious physical or mental harm to you or anyone else).
If you would like to see your health records you can ask the clinician who is treating you, or another member of staff.
If you would like a copy of your health records contact:
Information governance
St Thomas' Hospital
Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7EH
Tel: 020 7188 7525
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Is there a charge?
You can get copies of any of your records which are held either on computer or in paper format; however, there will be a small administrative charge for this and you will be advised of the cost when you make your enquiry.
Find out information on the fees at the NHS Choices website.
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Confidentiality
Under the Data Protection Act 1998 we are required to keep your health records secure.
Every member of staff working for, or with the NHS, has an individual duty to keep your information confidential. We will only share it with other organisations in strict accordance with the law and where this will help us in providing high quality care.
See our leaflet How we use and protect your health information (PDF 35Kb) for more information.