Under UK data protection law, you have the right to see the information we hold about you. This is known as a Subject Access Request (SAR). You can request a copy of your medical records at any time.

More information: NHS Wales: Access to medical records

How to request your records

To request a copy of your medical records, please complete our request form and email to: generaladmin.llanishen@wales.nhs.uk. Your request will be passed to our Administration Manager, who may contact you to confirm your identity or to ask for any additional information needed to process your request.

You do not need to explain why you want access to your records. Once we have the information we need, we will provide your records within one month, normally free of charge.

We require proof of identity to ensure we are releasing information to the correct person.

What you will receive

We will provide a copy of your medical records. We aim to provide this within one month of your request. If your request is complex or involves large amounts of information, we may extend the deadline. If this happens, we will let you know.

Not all requests require a full copy of your medical record. You may only need a specific document or a short summary.

 Examples include:

• recent blood test results
• a copy of a hospital letter
• a copy of your vaccination history
• a medication summary
• a medical history summary print out

These requests are still considered Subject Access Requests, and we will normally provide the information free of charge, unless the request is excessive or repeated. If a fee applies, we will tell you before processing the request.

Some requests are not classed as Subject Access Requests because they are made for the benefit of a third party. These include requests for information needed by:

• insurance companies
• solicitors
• employers
• occupational health
•  visa or immigration bodies
• adoption or fostering agencies

These are classed as private (non‑NHS) work, and a fee will apply. We will always confirm the cost before completing the request.

Requests for medical reports are also private work and are chargeable, as they require clinical time and professional judgement rather than simply providing existing records.

Private work request form

You can request records for another person if:

• you have their written consent, or
• you have legal authority (e.g., Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare), or
• you are the parent or guardian of a child who is not able to make their own decisions

We may ask for evidence of your authority.

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to rectification, which means you can ask us to correct information in your medical record if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete. If you raise a concern about an entry, we will review it carefully and decide whether a correction is appropriate. Factual mistakes can be amended, but clinical opinions or professional judgements are not usually changed, even if you disagree with them. In these situations, we will add a note to your record to reflect your concerns so that your viewpoint sits alongside the original entry.

If the information you are concerned about comes from another organisation, such as a hospital letter, we cannot alter their documentation. However, we can record your concerns within your GP record and advise you on how to contact the relevant organisation if you wish to challenge or amend the original source.

In limited circumstances, we may withhold information if:

• releasing it would cause serious harm to your physical or mental health, or
• it contains information about another person who has not given consent

If this applies, we will explain the reason wherever possible.