Medical records

- MEDICAL RECORD RETENTION -

We retain medical records in accordance with national best practice guidelines.

Our business revolves around delivering a better health service to every person on earth but, in order to do this, we need to be able to access medical information.

We retain your medical records in accordance with national best practice guidance. This includes advice provided by the Department of Health Records management (2006), NHS code of practice, and summary guidance issued by the British Medical Association.

Type of record
Maternity record retention period
25 years after the birth of the last child

GP records retention period
GP Records are kept for 10 years after death, or after the patient has permanently left the country unless the patient remains in the European Union. In the case of a child, if the illness or death could have potential relevance to adult conditions, or have genetic implications for the family of the deceased, the advice of clinicians should be sought as to whether to retain the records for a longer period.

Electronic patient records (EPRs) must not be destroyed, or deleted, for the foreseeable future.

Records relating to persons receiving treatment for a mental disorder within the meaning of mental health legislation retention period
20 years after the date of the last contact; or 10 years after the patient's death if sooner