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Retention And Disposal Of Health Records Consultation: Online Response Form

Introduction

Responses to this consultation are required by 30 November 2005. The Scottish Executive will acknowledge receipt of your response.

Thank you for taking the time to participate in this consultation.

Your Details

Please complete the details on the Respondent Information Form below. This will help ensure we handle your response appropriately.

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Organisation: (if applicable)
Postal Address: * Required
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1. Are you reponding as: (please tick one box) * Required An individual (go to Q2a/b and then Q4)
on behalf of a group or organisation (go to Q3 and then Q4)
   
 
Do you agree to your response being made available to the public (in Scottish Executive library and/or on the Scottish Executive website)? Yes (go to 2b below)
No, not at all (We will treat your response as confidential)

Yes, make my response, name and address all available
Yes, make my response available, but not my name or address
Yes, make my response and name available, but not my address

   
 

The name and address of your organisation will be made available to the public (in the Scottish Executive library and/or on the Scottish Executive website). Are you also content for your response to be made available?

Yes
No We will treat your response as confidential
   
 

Yes
No

 

Your Consultation Response

Section 2.1.1- Adult (excluding Mental Health) Please select the statement that you agree with most.
Continue with current minimum retention period for Adult records (6 years after the date of last recorded entry, or 3 years after death if earlier) Yes, I agree with the previous statement.
13 years after date of last recorded entry (or 3 years after death if earlier) Yes, I agree with the previous statement.
For the lifetime of the patient and to 3 years after death Yes, I agree with the previous statement.

Section 2.1.2 Mental Health Records

Q1 Do you think that mental health records should be treated in the same way as other types of personal health records? If not, why?

Adult Please select the statement that you agree with most.
The current minimum retention period for Adult records (6 years after the date of last recorded entry, or 3 years after death if earlier). Yes, I agree with the previous statement.
13 years after date of last recorded entry (or 3 years after death if earlier) Yes, I agree with the previous statement.
For the lifetime of the patient and to 3 years after death Yes, I agree with the previous statement.

Childrens’ and Young Persons Please select the statement that you agree with most.
The current minimum retention period for Children’s and Young Persons’ records (keep records until patient reaches the age of 25, or 3 years after death if earlier). Yes, I agree with the previous statement.
6 years after date of last recorded entry, or 3 years after death if earlier. Yes, I agree with the previous statement.
13 years after date of last recorded entry, or 3 years after death if earlier. Yes, I agree with the previous statement
For the period until the patient reaches the age of 16 years, plus a further period of 3 years. Yes, I agree with the previous statement.
For the lifetime of the patient and to 3 years after death. Yes, I agree with the previous statement.

Section 2.1.3- Children and Young People (excluding Mental Health) Please select the statement that you agree with most.
Continue with current minimum retention period (keep records until patient reaches the age of 25, or 3 years after death if earlier) Yes, I agree with the previous statement.
6 years after date of last recorded entry (or 3 years after death if earlier) Yes, I agree with the previous statement.
13 years after date of last recorded entry (or 3 years after death if earlier) Yes, I agree with the previous statement.
For the period until the patient reaches the age of 16 years, plus a further period of 3 years Yes, I agree with the previous statement.
For the lifetime of the patient and to 3 years after death Yes, I agree with the previous statement.

 

Q2. We feel that if the minimum retention period for Children’s and Young Persons’ health records is decreased, any information in the record which is relevant to Child Protection issues should be kept until the patient reaches the age of 25, or 3 years after death, if earlier. What is your view?

Section 2.1.4- Maternity Please select the statement that you agree with most.
Continue with current minimum retention period (keep records for a period of 25 years after the birth, including stillbirth) Yes, I agree with the previous statement.
For the period until the delivered baby(ies) reach(es) the age of 16 years, plus a further period of 3 years. Yes, I agree with the previous statement.

 

Q3. Do you think that Maternity records should be treated differently to other types of personal health record? If yes, why?

 

Q4. Should Maternity records be kept for the same time as Children’s and Young Person’s records, because information in them may be relevant to a child’s legal claims?

 

Q5. We know that in some areas, information on termination of pregnancies (abortions) is kept with Maternity Records. Do you think that this is appropriate? If not, what do you think should happen with this information?

Section 2.2- Primary Care

Q6. Do you think that GP records should be kept for the lifetime of the patient and then for 3 years after death?

 

Q7. Do you think the current practice of destroying the GP records of patients who have left the UK without indicating an intention to return after 6 years is acceptable?

 

Q8. What are your views on the retention of records of other types of Primary Care health professionals (including community pharmacists, dentists, optometrists)?

Section 2.3- Specific Diagnoses

Q9. Should the records of patients with a diagnosis of cancer be kept for the same minimum retention period as health records generally? If not, why?

 

Q10. Should records of patients with genetic disorders be kept for the same minimum retention period as health records generally? If not, why?

 

Q11. Are there any other records containing information about a particular diagnosis or treatment that should have a different minimum retention period to health records generally? If yes, why?

Section 2.4 Electronic Records

Q12. If all personal health records were stored completely on computer, is it acceptable to ask for all types of record to be kept for the lifetime of the patient plus 3 years? If not, why?

 

Q13. Are there any other factors that we need to consider for the management of electronically stored health records?

 

Page updated: August 15, 2005