# Blood Tests and Access to medical records - the runaround



## pinkflamingo (Nov 21, 2006)

Hi everyone
It took me just minutes to book an appointment for donor eggs at clinic and Barcelona and minutes to book flights and hotel.  It tooks weeks of research and thinking before we made our decision though.

My main problem is trying to get blood tests done.  My doctors surgery do not do these tests and I have had to arrange them privately at a sexual health clinic (around £300 for both us - but cheaper than Barcelona). 
Access to medical records - this is another source of struggle - after I spoke to a nurse at my local GP clinic this morning she quoted £34 per printed page + admin charge!  I cant see how this can be right.  

Have any other ladies been charged for their medical records to be printed out or managed to get blood tests done on the NHS in the Manchester area ?

any help appreciated


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## safarigirl (Feb 23, 2005)

pinkflamingo - my gp did some of the tests for me (however this is not always the case)  I got all the hiv; hep a and b, syphillis ones done for free at the local hopsital (DH as well) - just find out where the sexual health clinic is and they do it.  There are plenty of walk in places as well ....  You just go along, they take about two weeks the results, and i told them that it was becasue i was having ivf and needed to know about this.  YOu dont have to do these privately as there are places for you to have them done.

I am not sure about the medical records - perahsp ask IM what they need?  i think someone else will be able to ask you this, but if memory serves me correct from reading this type of query before it was not £34 per printed page - they would have to give a reason for that!

If you do a search with the search key you will find that this has been debated quite a bit, as there is such varying degrees of practice, and costs e.g. for scans etc.

wishing you ltos of luck


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## crusoe (Jun 3, 2005)

IM didn't want any NHS medical records from me, only stuff from the UK private IVF clinic I attended who provided a copy of all the relevant bits free of charge. I would clarify with IM exactly what they need - I found they didn't actually want much at all and some of the stuff I took they barely glanced at
£34 per page sounds absolutely outrageous surely you are entitled to your own medical records without having to pay loads of money!

As for blood tests - my GP won't do them and we have had to pay privately for some but I found them much, much cheaper in Spain and got IM to do some while I was there.

Good luck
Crusoe


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## three_stars (Jan 19, 2006)

That seems a ridiculous amount. Even banks don't charge that much for copies of records!
I am sure they should be reported to the NHS or somewhere.  
I think it is absurd that you do not have free and immediate access to ALL your medical records! I can understand for a fee for asking for several copies but at least one copy should be free or nominal charge.


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## Ms Minerva (Mar 7, 2005)

What about requesting them under the Freedom of Information Act? or the Data Protection Act?

I did a quick Google and found this:

_Q

Will there be a financial charge for access to health records? 
A

Under the Data Protection Act 1998 (Fees and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2001 the maximum fee that can be charged for providing copies of health records is £10 for computer records and £50 for copies of manual records or a mixture of manual and computer records. Charges are for copying and posting the records only and *should not result in a profit for the record holder*. Some types of records, such as x-rays, may be expensive to copy._

Have a look here for more info:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/InformationPolicy/PatientConfidentialityAndCaldicottGuardians/AccessHealthRecordsFAQ/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4039714&chk=iOJNGp

Hope this helps and good luck!

Jules
xxx

This post contains an unconfirmed link/information and readers are reminded that Fertilityfriends.co.uk or its owners are not responsible for the content of external internet websites.


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## pinkflamingo (Nov 21, 2006)

Hello everyone
thanks for all your replies.  The sexual health clinic I was using in Bolton rung this morning to tell me that I needed a referral note from my doctor before they could do anything.  Have now booked in with my GP to see if she can arrange for me to have them done at my local hospital in Manchester (so ignoring the receptionists/practice managers comments).  Apparently I can insist that these be carried out at the local hospital but may have to pay (surprise, surprise).  I know this is true cos I spoke to the bloods department nurse a couple of days ago and she said I only needed a referral by my own GP.  Round and round, round and round.......

As for the £34 per sheet - when I rang to speak to the practice manager yesterday it is now 0.34p per sheet (the nurse made a mistake).

I think it must depend on the competence of your surgery and your own persistence before you can get anything done in the UK.

It is interesting to note how much charges for things vary from one place to another (i.e. free with your GP (if you are lucky) up to £600 (BUPA blood testing service) if you dont shop around.

I think we have enough to pay with the IVF without being charged for things in our own country.


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## cb64 (Nov 25, 2006)

Hi everyone

I have just requested Access to Medical records and the manager stated:

£10.00 admin fee plus £0.35p per copied sheet + postage and packing

The overall fee should not exceed £50.00. Hope this helps.

re: runaround for bloods etc., I'm trying to get this lined up before going abroad. I have as yet to decide on a clinic. This is a real headache though.

St James's Hospital, Leeds have a Shared Care package which costs £1,000. This is to liaise with the selected clinic abroad. The nurse said it includes blood tests but didn't elaborate on anything else. It seems a lot of money just for bloods and liaising. I can laise myself. All I require is a contact point to arrange further tests if necessary.

If anyone can advise, please do so, I'm drowning in confusion.

regards
CB64


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## cb64 (Nov 25, 2006)

Hi there

thanks for the info Ellie and Meerkat. I'm in Leeds, so the clinic is a long journey but who knows with all the stumbling blocks we have to jump through to obtain basic services it may be worth it.

Does everyone else feel slightly peeved that because we are having ED (whether at home or abroad) that some of us are having pay for some services that other women who fall pregnant naturally obtain for free. It is rather inconsistent some GPs do it for free, others charge - postcode lottery? It is outrageous and very discriminating. Sorry I'm ranting.

Can anyone provide a list of blood tests that are/may be required for the clinics abroad.

I know HIV, Syphillis, Hep A and B

but what others may be required?

thanks in advance
cb64


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## pinkflamingo (Nov 21, 2006)

Yes I feel through no fault of our own we are prevented from having any IVF treatment in the UK due to the confidentiality issues and the age limit.  We do not effectively have a choice to go private - we are forced to because that is the only avenue open to us.  We are lucky to have enough to fund around 2 or 3 cycles but I am sure there are many couples who cant afford the fees.

A comment from our GP was made to us about "private patients being a drain on the NHS" - I think it is important to fight for what you are entitled to.  In the end my GP surgery did not charge for my medical notes and sent them free of charge.


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## Laragh (Sep 8, 2004)

I had a myomectomy last year to remove fibroids and I decided to have a scan at my local fertility unit 4 months after, just to make sure everything was in place and as it should be before going for DE at ISIDA in Kiev.

I was just going to have the monitoring done in the Uk and fly out for the ET.  The surgeon who performed my myo is also the head of the fertility unit, he check my ultasound and said everything was fine and to go ahead for the DE cycle.  However it was proving difficult and expensive to have all the tx bloods and vag smears done for ISIDA in the UK, so I flew out to Kiev and had them done at ISIDA.

I have never had so many tests done in my life, even an electrocardiogramm, total cost £108, my ultrasound was £8.  What amazed me was the thoroughness of ISIDA, they test for everything and won't let you get to ET unless everything is right.  ISIDA said my endomentrium was too thick for my cycle date and there was something they could not quite make out, they weren't happy, they asked me to come back in 2 weeks time on CD 6, which I did, and they performed a Hysterscopy and found 1cm fibroid, 2 polys and hyperplasia- how the hell did the surgeon / head of the fertility unit in the Uk miss all of that!! ISIDA removed it all with a D&C.

Now what really pisses me off is when I was trying to get all my bloods done at this fertility unit, a nurse said that they now charge all overseas patients £157 consultation fee "just to make sure all our paperwork is in order"  she comment on all sort of weird tests these "whacky" overseas clinics were requesting and just for our own saftey she was recommending we consult them first.  I am in the process of writing a letter of complaint to this unit as they could'nt even identify a fibroid, polys and hyperplasia on an ultrasound.

I would only deal with overseas clinics direct do not go through any clinic in the UK - you'll be ripped off.

I belive the Bridge are charging their patient to cycle at ISIDA £10K if you go direct to ISIDA same treatment for £3K


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