Doctors/medical reports, UK to France, doable?

[petehoward]

One of the things that worry me about the move to France, next year, I hope, are my medical records. With all this data protection act etc, is the NHS willing to supply full hospital and GP medical records to me before moving abroad? I have numerous "minor" ailments, and my records would be invaluable to smooth the transition. Of course once in possession of these records translation would be the next problem to face. Has anyone done this successfully? Any experiences you have would be appreciated.

[Pushkin]

I have diabetes and also have some other irritating minor ailments.  A month before we moved to France permanently we asked our doctor for a printout of our medical records which he was quite willing to do, free of charge.  I suggest you ask your doctor if he can provide you with the same service.

Sue

[opas]

This issue was discussed on here quite recently, yes you should be able to get a copy of your records from your GP, hospital ones could become a different matter(ours have now been requested by the specialist here).

Translation wasn`t needed as medical terms appear to be similar and most educated french have some grounding in English and what wasn`t understood ,we explained in other terms.

[Will]

Don't worry about it. Our doctor speaks hardly any English, but she understood the records given to us by our English doctor with no difficulty at all. Opas is quite right that medical terms are usally similar, and if not are easily recognised with the help of a medical dictionary.

[Graham & Brenda]

Although we obtained letters from our doctors giving medical history and medication, our new doctor has tended to ask his own questions to establish our current position and requirements. The list of medication was useful and I also took with me empty pill packets and the info leaflets from inside them.

As I have diabetes, that makes me potentially at risk of a number of ailments so he sent me off for all the relevent tests. Some were more detailed than I'd had in the UK.

Graham

[IAN_S]

Everybody has the right to see their medical records under the Access to Medical Records Act 1990.

For the full text of the Act go to www.cfoi.org.uk/pdf/ahra90.pdf

You will need a pdf reader such as Acrobat which can be downloaded free from www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html

 

[Iceni]

[quote]Everybody has the right to see their medical records under the Access to Medical Records Act 1990. For the full text of the Act go to www.cfoi.org.uk/pdf/ahra90.pdf You will need a pdf reader such...[/quote]

Yes and if you have a case for negligence it can take years for the file to be handed over, Data protection act or not. I understand that there are 4 act which cover this and they contradict each other.

We were refused our records and given enough hoops to jump through to make us decide to ignore them. Both of us have been seriously ill but got no joy. I just wonder what information they are protecting by not giving us the records?????

The upside is that I have stopped taking the very expensive drugs I was on, I am no worse, actually I am much better as my blood pressure has come down from heights which looked like I would need medication for life. It is now back to its previous low level. The local French doctor had no previous notes to work on and decided that 'perhaps I did not need the drugs'. He was right. My prescriptions have gone down from 3 to 4 a month at worst in the UK to none at all here - makes you think. The reason they kept upping the drugs is that nothing seemed to make the pain go away, coming off the drugs did to quite some extent.

[IAN_S]

Di

Just before we came to France I decided to ask my GP for my records as I had a minor heart problem. Anticipating a struggle for my records I went to see him armed with the relevant part of the act clutched in my hand.

 He of course immediately said " Do you want your records to take to France? If so we have to charge you £2.50 admin fee, I'll get them organised now if you like!

Feeling a bit embarassed I slunk out quickly.

My French doctor was happy to see the notes but said he would halve the dose as the medication was giving me a very slow pulse. This worked and I am now feeling as good as I ever have, although I find that French drugs can be stronger in each tablet and I have to break them.

[opas]

I think you may find that doctors records and hospital records are two different issues.

Mr O went to get our daughters and was given them without any problem ,free of charge and with a handshake. These notes obviously have a breakdown of specialist visits and procedures she had undergone etc, but X Rays ,Monitor readouts and graphs are not in those.

So next step was to contact the various hospitals and specialists to get further info , I didn`t speak to the various departments ,but basicaly my husband was told that these were the Property of the NHS/United Kingdom,so subsequently the Hospital here has made a request as these involve a growing child.

 

[Charallais]

My husband and I both got printouts of our medical records from our English GP who charged us £10 each. But when we took them to our doctor in France she took a copy and the orginal stays in our possession, so remember where you put them!!!

I have to see a cardiologist in a couple of weeks and the doctor has told me to remember to take my case notes with me.

I have found that hardly any doctors in our area speak any English. In fact I have found only 1 so far and he was not my doctor he just happened to be in the room when I was treated in hospital and he translated!

The new doctor in France knows my medical history of stroke etc but she prefered to read the medical information from England then examine me and come to her own conclusions. Infact she has been the first person to really take any notice of my cholesterol and explain the implications thoroughly. She is making me have 3 monthly tests instead of 9 months to a year in England.