My entitlement to my medical files?

CluelessGirl

Hey there,

I was just wondering what a persons entitlement to their medical files are?

Is there a statute or law about this?

Thanks in advance.

Sangre

I believe so, it should be covered by the Data Protection Acts

NuMarvel

As Sangre says, you should be able to access that information under the Data Protection Acts, see here - http://www.dataprotection.ie/ViewDoc.asp?fn=/documents/rights/2d.htm&CatID=17&m=r.

There is an exception:

The Data Protection (Access Modification) (Health) Regulations, 1989 (S.I. No. 82 of 1989) provide that health data relating to an individual should not be made available to the individual, in response to an access request, if that would be likely to cause serious harm to the physical or mental health of the data subject. A person who is not a health professional should not disclose health data to an individual without first consulting the individual’s own doctor, or some other suitably qualified health professional.

johnfás

You can access it under the Data Protection Acts or (if a medical card patient) under the Freedom of Information Acts. However, access to your personal health information may be refused if it would be likely to cause serious harm to your physical or mental health. Obviously you could appeal any refusal to supply such information, eventually through the courts, but the exception as indicated by the above poster does exist.

Furthermore, a doctor may charge a reasonable fee in supplying it to you, as can any data controller.

If you are seriously wanting to receive full access to your medical information and the data controller that you have spoken to (likely your GP or a hospital) has refused to supply such information, your first step is to request the reasons for their refusal to be stated in writing.

Carawaystick

johnfás wrote: »

Furthermore, a doctor may charge a reasonable fee in supplying it to you, as can any data controller.

limited to EUR6.35 afaik

Our man in Havana

Plus the cost of photocopying if the file is very big.

lonestargirl

Also, they are only required to hold them for a certain amount of time (7 years I think). I tried to get my vaccination records from my college GP recently and while they were quite happy to give them to me when they went to retrieve them they had been destroyed.