The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) come into effect in UK and Irish law from 25 May 2018. This is a major piece of legislation coming from the European Union and significantly impacts on how personal data is stored and used.
Currently, patients are required to pay a fee of up to £50 for a copy of their medical records. However, the new legislation removes the fee and ensures that patients can obtain a copy of their medical records free of charge.
The GDPR does provide for two situations where a fee can be levied:
- Where the request is “manifestly unfounded or excessive”
- Where additional copies are requested of the same data.
If you have any queries in relation to the standard of medical care provided to you, please contact our Healthcare Team and we will walk you through each step of the process, beginning with obtaining medical records on your behalf. However, if you do wish to obtain records yourself, for whatever reason, from 25 May 2018 onwards the GDPR ensures that you will not be charged any fee for doing so.