Health records contain information about your health and any care or treatment you’ve received.
Your health records may contain:
It’s important that your records are kept up to date. You should tell NHS staff when your personal information changes or if you are going to be out of the UK for a long time.
Different parts of the NHS hold records. For example, your GP practice and any hospital you have been to may hold records about you.
NHS Scotland follows the retention schedule set out in the Scottish Government Records Management Health and Social Care Code of Practice as a guideline about how long it should keep health records, and when they can be destroyed.
You should contact your GP practice manager or hospital health records manager if you would like more information about how your records are stored.
Most patients in Scotland now have an Emergency Care Summary containing basic information about your health in case of an emergency.
NHS staff can also use your Emergency Care Summary if your GP refers you to an outpatient clinic or for admission to hospital to check your details.
Before any member of staff looks at your Emergency Care Summary, they must get your consent.
Patients with particular needs or living with long-term conditions may also have a Key Information Summary containing information that NHS staff should know.
The Key Information Summary might contain:
If you need a Key Information Summary, your GP will discuss with you what information should be included.
You have a right to see or get a copy of your health records.
To see your records you will have to apply to the organisation that is responsible for them, for example:
You don’t need to give a reason for wanting to see your health records.
When writing, you should say if you:
You may also need to fill in an application form and give proof of your identity.
You can usually apply if you’re able to understand what is involved in asking to see your records.
Someone else can apply to see your records if you:
Someone with responsibility for you can apply to see your records if any of the following apply:
If you’re under 12, your parents or guardians must apply to see your records on your behalf.
It is free to:
If you request additional copies, you will be told if an admin fee will apply.
If you make the request by email or online, unless otherwise requested by you, the information will be provided in a similar secure format.
You will usually receive your records within 30 days of making an application and paying the admin fee if applicable.
If you are unhappy with how your application has been dealt with, you should ask to speak to the person you sent your request to.
If you are still unhappy, you have a right to make a complaint.
Find out about giving feedback and making complaints about how your application has been dealt with.
If you choose to view your records at your GP surgery or hospital, someone will probably be with you while you do this.
If you choose to be given a copy, you may get
Some information on your records may be kept from you. NHS staff don’t have to tell you if this has happened.
You won’t be able to see information that could:
If you think information in your records is incorrect, you should first talk to staff providing your care who will then decide the best course of action.
If they decide the information is incorrect:
If they decide the information is correct:
Information can only be removed from your records if:
NHS staff need your full records to:
You may want to approach NHS Scotland to request that your information is removed from their records if you feel that:
There may be occasions when the NHS will not uphold your request, for example:
The NHS must reply to your request within 30 days.
You can claim compensation if you suffer physical, psychiatric, or financial damage because:
Find out more about clinical negligence and your right to feedback and complain about your care.
The law allows you to see records of a patient that has died as long as they were made after 1st November 1991.
Records are usually only kept for three years after death.
You can only see that person’s records if you are their personal representative (e.g most parents/guardians of a minor or a person with power of attorney for health care for a patient), administrator or executor.
You won’t be able to see the records of someone who made it clear that they didn’t want other people to see their records after their death.
Before you get access to these records, you may be asked for:
Contact the GP practice or local health board that the deceased person was registered with to request their health records.
You won’t be able to see information that could:
If you have a claim as a result of that person’s death, you can only see information that is relevant to the claim.
Last updated:
11 October 2023