Access your health records
Access your Health / Medical Records
Why we collect information about you
Your doctor and other health professionals caring for you keep records about your health and any treatment and care you receive from the National Health Service. These help ensure that you receive the best possible care from us. They may be written down (manual records), or held on computer.
The records may include:
Basic details about you, such as date of birth, address and next of kin
Notes about your health
Details about the treatment and care you receive
Results of investigations, such as X-rays and laboratory test
Relevant information from other health or social care professionals, or those who care for you and know you well
How your records are used to help you
Your records are used to guide professionals in the care you receive to ensure that:
Your doctor, nurse or any other health or social care professionals involved in your care has accurate and up-to-date information to assess your health and decide what care you need
Full information is available if you see another doctor, or are referred to a specialist or another part of the NHS
There is a good basis for assessing the type and quality of care you have received
Your concerns can be properly investigated if you need to complain
How your records are used to help the NHS
Your information may also be used to help us:
Make sure our services can meet patient needs in the future
Review the care we provide to ensure it is of the highest standard
Teach and train healthcare professionals
Conduct health research and development
Audit NHS accounts and services
Prepare statistics on NHS performance
Investigate complaints, legal claims or untoward incidents
How we keep your records confidential
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential.
You may be receiving care from other organisations as well as the NHS (like Social Services). We may need to share some information about you so we can all work together for your benefit. We will only ever use or pass on information about you if others involved in your care have a genuine need for it. We will not disclose your information to third parties without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as when the health or safety of others is at risk or where the law requires information to be passed on.
Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential.
Information that we have to share
We are required by law to report certain information to the appropriate authorities. Occasions when we must pass on information include:
Notification of births and deaths
Where we encounter infectious diseases which may endanger the safety of others
Where a formal court order has been issued
To help prevent, detect or prosecute serious crime
NHS Digital
NHS hospitals are required by law to send information about patients to NHS Digital. The information is used to produce statistics, to enable hospitals to be paid for the treatment they provide plus analysis to support, monitor and improve healthcare provision. This is generally referred to as Secondary User Services and Hospital Episode Statistics.
If you wish to object to your hospital information being used for anything other than your direct care then you can do so by completing the form available on NHS Digital Your Data Matters.
This applies solely to hospital information.
For more information about the care data initiative relating to GP information please go to the NHS Choices website.
Hospitals cannot refuse to provide data to NHS Digital.
How you can get access to your own health records
The General Data Protection Regulations 2018 (GDPR) allows you to find out what information about you is held in both digital and paper format. This is known as “right of subject access”. It applies to your health records.
If you wish to see your EKHUFT health records you should make a written request to the address below. You should also be aware that in certain circumstances your right to see some details in your health records may be limited in your own interest or for other reasons.
To access a copy of your health records, please complete the relevant form below and send it, together with copies of two forms of identification from the table below (one from section A and one from section B).
Please complete the relevant request form and return to ekh-tr.accesstorecords@nhs.net or post to:
Access to Records Department
Royal Victoria Hospital,
Radnor Park Avenue,
Folkestone,
CT19 5BN
Telephone: 01233 633331 Ext 723-4790 (opening times 8:30 -16:00)
Download the personal access to records application form (adult) Download the personal access to records application form (child)Section A - something to prove who you are
UK Passport
Passport from eligible countries including EU/EEA
Driving licence (driving licences without a photo are not acceptable)
EU/EEA National Identity card
UK birth certificate (under 18s only)
National Insurance Card (Under 18s only)
Medical card (under 18s only).
Section B - something with your current home address (less than three months old)
Utility bill
Phone bill
Local authority council tax bill
HMRC tax code notification
Benefits or pensions notification letter confirming the right to benefit.
If you do not have any of these forms of identification, please contact us on 01233 633331 (Ext 723 4790) or ekh-tr.accesstorecords@nhs.net and we will discuss how we can deal with your request.
Deceased patients
To request a copy of a deceased patients health record please read the following Information for applications and then use the form available via the link below:
Download the personal representative of a deceased patient access to records application form