Getting access to parents' medical records

J

Janet

Registered User
Messages
648
My mum died 19 years ago, my dad 8 years ago. Myself and some of my siblings have wondered from time to time about this question and finally decided to do something about it.

Is it possible to get access to deceased parents' medical records? Where would I even start with this? Is it simply a case of contacting our old family GP? The surgery would have, I assume, their records for most of their adult lives although I have no idea where to begin finding any information from before they were married.

It's not that I feel there is anything in particular I need to know now, more a case of having the information available just in case. My older sister has kids now and also feels strongly about this as when she goes to the doctor with them she is frequently asked things like "did either of your parents ever have this...." and just doesn't know. There are things that I feel it would be useful to know. I remember for example my dad having a device at one stage to monitor his heart but don't know why or what the end conclusions were. I remember my mum having to sometimes wear a support glove on one wrist but don't really know why. I'd also like to know the details of their final illnesses to some extent accruately rather than depending on family hearsay - although neither were hereditary diseases afaik, it'd be better to just know.

Are there are legal issues surrounding this issue and the release of information? The son of the doctor we used to see as kids is now himself a doctor and working (at least up to four or five years ago anyway) in the same surgery and would probably remember us - we ran a shop in the area so were pretty well-known.
 
I would approach the new doc for a chat, its a reasonable request if you confine it to heriditary conditions or heriditary late onset conditions, type 2 diabetes runs in some families. Avoid questions like, is there a brother or was there another child we were never told about, that can be sticky.
 
they are quite likely to be shredded by their GP. NY GP shreds records of people he has not seen for 6 years...i think its faire enough....he remarked to me he'd need huge storage to try and keep everything
 
Thanks Henny Penny - that was a good start anyway. Now to face the next problem which may be being recognised as next of kin. My father did remarry and I'm not sure if my stepmother (with whom I have no contact) is more next-of-kin than we would be.

Legend - I think that's terrible, medical records stay relevant for at least the length of time someone is alive. And in our case even to the next generation. Although it is true that the cost of storing records would be enourmous, surely most could be microfiched or something similar.
 
.Call the GP, tell them about your situations and ask if your parents had any ailments that you should know about. If they were life long patients the GP should remember
 
If your parents died that long ago chances are that their GP is dead also (or may not be in a state to remember his clients). The correct thing for his next of kin (the doctors) to do would be to shred the information as its confidential. However as you say there is a chance you may be able to access some information if you could try getting hospital records or something like that. They may keep them longer than a GP.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top