October 20, 2025
Accessing your medical records is an important step in understanding your healthcare, reviewing past treatment, or preparing for a medical negligence claim. Complete records help ensure accuracy, support ongoing care, and provide key evidence if concerns arise about your treatment.
Under UK law, every individual has the right of access UK GDPR to request their medical records from the NHS, GP surgeries, hospitals, or private healthcare providers. This process is known as a subject access request (SAR) and is protected by the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
In this blog, we explain how to make a medical records request, what information to include, the time limits for a response, and how to resolve common issues. A free subject access request template is also provided to help you make your request quickly and correctly.
Your Right to Access Medical Records
Under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, everyone has the legal right to access their medical records. This includes information held by NHS providers, such as GPs, hospitals, dentists, and private clinics.
You can request copies of your GP notes, hospital records, test results, and referral letters. Healthcare providers must respond within one month, and requests are usually free of charge unless they are excessive or repeated.
Accessing your records ensures the information is accurate and can be vital when reviewing care, seeking a second opinion, or pursuing a medical negligence claim. Integrity Law assists clients in obtaining these records quickly and reviewing them to identify any evidence of potential negligence.
Where to Request Your Records?
Your medical records are usually held by the organisation or healthcare provider that delivered your treatment. To obtain them, you need to send a Subject Access Request (SAR) directly to the relevant provider.
- GP records can be requested from your GP practice, which holds your primary care notes, prescriptions, and referral letters.
- Hospital records are managed by the NHS Trust where you received treatment, usually through the Medical Records or Information Governance team.
- Private healthcare records must be requested directly from the private clinic or consultant who provided your care.
- Dental, optician, or physiotherapy records can be obtained from those individual practices.
If your treatment involved more than one provider, you may need to contact each organisation separately. Some NHS services also allow requests through online patient portals, such as the NHS App, for quick access to certain medical information.
Integrity Law is a private legal firm that assists clients in obtaining their medical records for review and analysis, particularly where those records may be relevant to a potential negligence or injury claim.
What to Include in Your Request?
When submitting a Subject Access Request (SAR) for your medical records, it’s important to include enough information to help the healthcare provider locate your file quickly and accurately. Incomplete or unclear requests can lead to delays.
Your request should include:
- Full name, date of birth, and current address.
- Any previous names or addresses, if you have changed them since receiving treatment.
- Details of the treatment or date range you want the records for – for example, “hospital records from January to June 2023.”
- Specific types of records you are requesting, such as GP notes, hospital discharge summaries, scan results, or correspondence between doctors.
- Preferred format for receiving the information: paper copies or electronic files.
You are not required to explain why you want your records, and providers cannot refuse a valid request based on the reason for it. However, being specific about what you need can make the process faster and reduce the chance of incomplete disclosure.
Integrity Law can prepare and submit these requests on your behalf, ensuring that all necessary details are included and that the records received are complete and suitable for legal review.
How Long Does a Medical Records Request Take, and Is It Free?
When you submit a Subject Access Request (SAR) for your medical records, the organisation is legally required to respond within one month of receiving your request. This applies to both NHS and private healthcare providers.
If the request is particularly complex or involves a large volume of records, the provider may extend the deadline by up to two additional months, but they must inform you of the delay and explain why it is needed.
In most cases, obtaining your medical records is free of charge. A healthcare provider can only charge a reasonable fee if the request is considered manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive. This fee is intended to cover administrative costs such as printing or postage.
If you do not receive a response within the legal timeframe, you have the right to send a reminder or escalate the matter through the provider’s complaints process. Persistent delays can also be reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which oversees data protection compliance.
Integrity Law helps clients track and follow up on delayed or incomplete responses, ensuring that all relevant medical documentation is obtained efficiently for review.
Free Subject Access Request (SAR) Template
Integrity Law offers a free Subject Access Request (SAR) template to help individuals request their medical records from the NHS or private healthcare providers with ease. This template can be used to formally obtain copies of your medical information, whether for personal reference, review of care, or preparation for a potential medical negligence claim.
Using a properly drafted SAR helps ensure that your request is processed efficiently and that you receive all relevant documentation within the legal timeframe.
If you need further assistance, Integrity Law can guide you through the process, help submit your request, and review the medical records once received to identify any potential issues in your treatment or care.
How Integrity Law Can Help
Accessing and reviewing medical records can be a complex and time-consuming process, especially when multiple healthcare providers are involved. Integrity Law provides specialist support to ensure that this process is handled efficiently and correctly.
Our legal team assists clients by:
- Preparing and submitting Subject Access Requests (SARs) to the appropriate NHS or private healthcare providers.
- Following up on delayed or incomplete responses to ensure full disclosure of records.
- Reviewing medical documentation to identify potential evidence of negligence or substandard care.
- Advising on the next steps if the records reveal concerns about treatment, communication, or decision-making.
With extensive experience in medical negligence and serious injury claims, Integrity Law helps clients obtain, interpret, and use their medical records effectively, whether for peace of mind, clarification, or preparation for legal action.
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