Your Health Records
Information about your personal treatment and care will normally be something you will discuss with the healthcare professionals with whom you come into contact. However, there may be other issues about which you would like further information and in this part of our website we explain how you can get such information.
For every inpatient and outpatient attendance at the hospital, data is stored on computer systems and added to medical records.
This allows clinicians and other medical staff to make informed decisions about each individual’s condition and treatment in respect to their healthcare history.
It is vital to maintain the accuracy of this information as a record of care if it is to be useful in the future. It is also essential that these records, both written and electronic, are kept secure and access restricted to specific staff members.
The Caldicott review and Data Protection Act 1998 enforce strict legal guidelines to the storage, maintenance and access to patient information.
Subject Access Requests under the Data Protection Act 1998
If you want to ask us for information which we may hold about you personally then this will be dealt with under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998. This would include information relating to health records, employment and training records – anything which is limited to you as a person whether as a patient, employee or partner of any kind.
If you wish to make a Subject Access Request you should write to:
Patient & Customer Services
Medico Legal Support Team
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Stepping Hill Hospital
Stockport
SK2 7JE
Telephone: 0161 419 5425
Please ensure that you specify the kind of information you wish to be made available to you, by completing the appropriate form below, and enclosing proof of identity – a photocopy of your driving licence or passport. If you are requesting a copy of your medical records you must also enclose a cheque for £50.00 for manual records (or a combination of manual and electronic records), or £10.00 for records entirely computer based. A fee of £10 may apply to view your records. Fees will be reduced by £10 if the records have been added to within the last 40 calendar days. A maximum charge of £10 may also apply for any other kind of information personal to you (such as staff records), cheques should be made payable to Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.
The following forms are in Microsoft Word format. If you do not have Microsoft Word on your PC please contact Patient & Customer Services - Medico Legal Department to request a copy of the form to be sent to you by mail.
Application for Access to Health Records (under the Data Protection Act 1998 - fees stated above).
Please note that fees for access to a deceased person's records may vary as these requests are dealt with under the terms of the Health Records Act 1990 – please contact us for further information
Please see our Access to Health Records Policy for further information.
If you become aware of information about you that is incorrect, please complete an Application to amend or remove information and send to:
Medical Records Manager, Library 1
Medical Records Department
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Stepping Hill Hospital
Stockport
SK2 7JE
However, please note that we are only able to remove information in extreme circumstances. Please see the Access to Health Records Policy above or the Information Commissioner’s website for more information.
Under the Data Protection Act 1998 we have 40 working days to provide the information you ask for. If you are unhappy with any aspect of the way in which we deal with your Subject Access Request you may complain to the Head of Patient & Customer Services, in the first instance, at the address above.
If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
If you disagree with the Information Commissioner’s decision and feel we have failed to disclose information without good reason you may apply to a Court for disclosure.