Medical Record Transfer

Practitioner Services (Medical) is responsible for transferring patient medical records UK-wide.

We track and record the movement of medical records through the Community Health Index (CHI) and are assisted in this process by colleagues at the Central Registers in Dumfries and Southport.

We handle the physical transfer of patient medical records between GP Practices and also manage requests for records for patients who are deceased, entering institutions or the armed forces.

Non-current records are stored and retrieved as required.

Urgent Requests
GP Practices are asked to consider the appropriateness of each ‘Urgent Request’ that Practitioner Services has to deal with.

The ‘Urgent Request’ process expedites the movement of medical records where there is a demonstrated clinical need for the new GP Practice to hold the records as soon as practically possible.

Further guidance is available from your local registration and medical records regional office contacts.

Multiple Folders
We often experience problems with the movement of medical records that are contained in more than one file.

Could GP Practices please ensure that where a patient’s notes span two or more folders that all folders are sent to us at the same time, clasped together securely with elastic bands or other appropriate methods of tying them together?

Report GP22 – request for Medical Records
Practitioner Services issues the above report requesting GP Practices to retrieve and send to Practitioner Services the medical records listed so that they can be forwarded to the new GP Practice or held in secure storage.

A checklist is printed on the reverse of the report and should be followed accordingly.

It is vitally important that GP Practices let us know of any problems in retrieving the records and regional office registration teams should be advised of any exceptions.

The medical records should either be sent to Practitioner Services as soon as possible, or where the records are not available then full details should be provided.