Access Health Records

At Clelland & Boyd Opticians, we are committed to protecting your personal information while ensuring you can access your health records whenever you need them.

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you, including your clinical eye care records.

Who can request health records?

You may request:

• Your own health records.
• The health records of someone else, provided you have the appropriate legal authority or written consent to do so.

If you are requesting records on behalf of another person, we will ask for evidence of your authority before releasing any information.

How to make a request

You can request your records by:

• Visiting either of our practices.
• Telephoning us.
• Emailing us.
• Writing to us.

To help us process your request as quickly as possible, we may ask you to complete our Patient Access to Health Records Request Form.

Proof of identity

To protect your personal information, we will ask you to provide proof of identity before releasing any records.

Acceptable forms of identification include:

• Passport
• Driving licence
• Other government-issued photographic identification

Where appropriate, we may also request proof of address.

A copy of your identification will be stored securely within your patient record solely for the purpose of verifying your identity.

What information can I request?

You can request:

• Your complete clinical record.
• A copy of your spectacle prescription.
• Contact lens records.
• OCT scans and images.
• Visual field results.
• Referral letters.
• Other specific information relating to your care.

How will I receive my records?

Where possible, records can be provided:

• By secure email.
• By post.
• By collection from one of our practices.

If you choose to receive your records by personal email, they will be sent from a secure NHS email account where available. Once the information has been delivered to your chosen email address, Clelland & Boyd cannot guarantee the security of your personal email provider or devices.

How long will it take?

We aim to respond to all requests within one calendar month of receiving:

• your request, and
• satisfactory proof of identity (where required).

If your request is particularly complex, we will let you know if additional time is required.

Is there a charge?

There is normally no charge for providing copies of your personal information.

However, in limited circumstances permitted under UK GDPR (for example, where requests are excessive or for additional copies), a reasonable administrative fee may apply.

Need help?

If you have any questions about accessing your health records or would like a copy of our Patient Access Request Form, please contact either of our practices.