How to retrieve medical (vaccination) records from a closed practice/retired or deceased doctor?

fields84

Hello,

can someone please advise what is the procedure for retrieving medical records from a retired doctor or a GP practice or clinic that has closed down?

I'm looking to get my childhood vaccination records as am not sure what vaccinations I had as a child, nor are my parents. I want to get my vaccinations up to date and get any vaccinations I may have missed out on. I have a feeling there were one to two I never got.

Yes I did contact the HSE about this and did get some records back but the HSE itself pointed out that my vaccination records were incomplete and that I would need to contact previous GPs.

Problem is, the GP I had as a child in Ireland retired many years ago so I don't know how to retrieve my records from them. They may have even since passed away, I'm not sure.

Also, as I've been living abroad for 10+ years, I can't just go to another GP to get them to request my records.

I'm thinking there must be a process for this, I have googled it but can't find a decent/specific answer.

Can someone please advise?

Cheers

P.S. the question didn't seem to fit 100% in any specific forum, sorry if this is not the right place

If the Clinic is closed for that period of time, it is unlikely that you will be able to retrieve your records unless arrangements were made to transfer them to another clinic at the time your GP closed. There is a slim possibility they may be in storage somewhere, but after 8+ yrs, they may be gone.

Mrs OBumble

You only hope is likely to be finding some local knowledge about who took over the practice or the patient records.

There is no central management of primary card, and this is one of the negative consequences of that.

GerardKeating

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058280858/how-to-retrieve-medical-vaccination-records-from-a-closed-practice-retired-or-deceased-doctor

Not to be impolite, but the HSE might have certain vaccination records, depending on your age. My kids are 11, 13, & 14 and a few years ago, we got a printed from the GP, which seemed to be a HSE report, of thier vaccinations.

You might also (or perhaps you already did) inquire of the HSE what was the standard vaccinatuion schedule when you are of an age to be vaccinated. It won't confirm that you got them, but if it was not on the schedule, it might suggest that you did not get it.

Specifcally, for the BCG, you should be able to tell by looking at your upper arm.

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120155286#Comment_120155286

the HSE do record the vaccinations received by a child so that might be a place to start. everything for the last 20 years is certainly computerised but earlier records may be paper based.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120155286#Comment_120155286

Ahh, the OP specifically says that s/he has already tried the HSE and received incomplete records back.