Anyone in the know regards to medical record transfer?

[Shane]

My mum's GP retired in June and her surgery of 50 odd years closed down. She registered at the closest to her surgery and is still waiting for them to receive her medical records. They have told her it will take a minimum of 3 months to get the records and could take up to 6! We have asked them now on several occasions and they always tell us the same thing.

 

In the meantime her health has been going down hill resulting in the paramedics being called last night and her being admitted to hospital. She has seen several doctors in the past 5 weeks but all have been emergency Drs at her new surgery and all unprepared to get involved with any pre existing conditions as they dont hold her records, merely treating her for any new condition, but I feel all of these have been due or are side effects to being incorrectly treated pre existing conditions.

 

In the last week she has been given antibiotics by one Dr, taken off them 2 days later by another, put on another type 3 days after that and now taken off them after being assessed in hospital. Today she was asked how long she had been sufferring from xxx condition and she said she didnt know she had it, only to be told by the Dr at the hospital she must have known as it was advanced and very visable!

 

I had a quick search on the internet and the agency it seems responsible for transfering records in the UK claim a GP can receive a patients records within two days if they make a urgent request. Before I steam in I wondered if anyone knew the exact facts regarding record transfer. It's interesting isnt it that we were all told a few years ago that the millions spent on bringing together the two or more different computer systems in use would make record access better.