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Scans, photos information between NHS trusts

(7 Posts)
Visgir1 Wed 24-Jul-24 17:07:32

I'm surprised as most scans are Digitally done now, so system can cope with transfers, they can be put onto a safe transfer links, into your new trust.
Well that's what we can do in the Trust I work in, tbh we do have a good IT system.

B9exchange Wed 24-Jul-24 17:07:30

Sadly even in this dat and age a lot of hospital trusts still use paper records!! GPs are much more advanced, so if the hospital sent your GP a copy, this would have been scanned in and you could see it in your record. However it is much more likely that all your GP received was a poorly written discharge summary, with no copy of scans enclosed. As mentioned above, if you need a cooy of a scan done in the old hospital, try chatting up the consultant's secretary. If it is on paper, she may have to retrieve it from an archive if you are no longer under their care. Probably easier just to repeat it, unless you are looking for a then and now comparison?

LOUISA1523 Wed 24-Jul-24 16:59:15

Quite normal for hospitals not to see each others records.... maybe there's a copy on your gp records?....my DD had an mri and the imaging was on her gp records

theblackmansanswer Wed 24-Jul-24 16:48:31

keepingquiet

Mmm- I've never asked to see a scan. I presume you had a scan at one hopsital and then asked to see it at another hospital?
Do you have the same GP or a new one?
I know when I moved it took some time for the notes to get through, to my GP but I think this should be your starting point.
I suggest you contact the hospital where you had the scan and ask to speak to the consultant's secretary. They can either then forward a copy to you, or send one to your GP.
I'm not sure what vital information may be missed, if you are really worried just ask your GP (new or old) to refer you to the local hopsital forrepeat scans. I am sure it will be sorted out.
This did happen to me when I had a smear test done in one authority and never received the result in another.
During the waiting time I was told I was now past the age of doing smears and they refused to do one!
I understand the frustration. Hope it gets sorted.

That's really frustrating! You'd think that hospitals would be able to share medical records, especially for non-critical cases like eye problems and mouth issues. It's not like they're dealing with sensitive info like MRI scans or cancer diagnoses.

I can understand that different IT systems might not be compatible, but like you said, can't they just send the info in the post or via email? It's not rocket science!

It's worrying that vital information might be missed or that you might have to undergo unnecessary tests again. Have you considered asking your GP to help facilitate the transfer of records? They might be able to help bridge the gap between the two hospital

FindingNemo15 Tue 23-Jul-24 18:43:02

We live between two major hospitals and can be sent to either for treatment, appointments, etc.

The technology does not link up and things get lost, overlooked or duplicated. This is ridiculous in the 21st century!

keepingquiet Tue 23-Jul-24 18:12:56

Mmm- I've never asked to see a scan. I presume you had a scan at one hopsital and then asked to see it at another hospital?
Do you have the same GP or a new one?
I know when I moved it took some time for the notes to get through, to my GP but I think this should be your starting point.
I suggest you contact the hospital where you had the scan and ask to speak to the consultant's secretary. They can either then forward a copy to you, or send one to your GP.
I'm not sure what vital information may be missed, if you are really worried just ask your GP (new or old) to refer you to the local hopsital forrepeat scans. I am sure it will be sorted out.
This did happen to me when I had a smear test done in one authority and never received the result in another.
During the waiting time I was told I was now past the age of doing smears and they refused to do one!
I understand the frustration. Hope it gets sorted.

truman Tue 23-Jul-24 16:24:43

I have recently moved location within the UK. I had treatment at a previous NHS trust hospital and I have been transferred to the hospital trust where I live now. I am now under one department for treatment and signed off at another department. In both cases when I asked if they can see the scans and photos take at the previous hospital they said no. I am not talking about MRI scans, or cancer etc but eye problems and a problem with my mouth. Even if both hospitals have different IT systems and cannot communicate with each other (this would not surprise me) surely the info can be sent in the post. Has anyone else come across this before as I find this very disturbing as vital information could be missed. They also could be repeating test which are not required. Has anyone else come across this. Sorry for such a long post but if this is the case no wonder the NHS is in a mess.