Genealogy Chat

Could anyone please tell me if you can gain a relatives records when they have died?

Dont think so - I believe they remain confidential and are ultimately destroyed

Hi Susan,

NHS hospital records are certainly kept, but are confidential for, usually, 100 years. I imagine it's the same for GP's records.

If the death was recent and you are next of kin, then of course you can apply to see them, but not to keep them.

Old hospital registers etc are often kept at the Record Office.

If the death is a very old one you can write to the local record office (or to the Patient Services manager at the actual hospital) and ask them nicely if they'll let you have photocopies. Some will, some won't.

I am at present waiting to hear from Gwent re my great-grandfather's records and he died in 1916. According to their rule, I might not be able to see these until at least 2016 but my fingers are crossed!

I know someone on this site has been allowed copies of records from the 1930s so it does differ between record offices and well worth you trying them.

Good luck.

CC

Hi Susan

My grandfather died 1954. I wrote to the Records Office they will ask how you are related to the deceased. The reason for wanting the information. They told me they had his records. I had to wait a couple of weeks while they got permmision off the Health Aurthority to release the information. They were most helpful.

Hello Susan,

in Scotland GP records are kept for 2 years then destroyed.

I know this as I was sorting a relative's estate and needed to find out if he had been hospitalised, the GP surgery directed me to the health authority who advised that after 2 years records are destroyed.

Heather

I found about 60 odd patient records dumped in a plastic bag leaning against my car door in the car park. I discovered they were records from my own surgery, so I carried them there and gave them to the receptionist. At first she said they weren´t from that surgery, but I pointed out that I knew who the Drs were. Evidently "someone" had been told to dispose of them as the patients were dead. I didn´t read any of those records (didn´t think of that until till I was driving home!!) but as I live in a small town I´m sure i would have known many of them. What a tool to the unscrupulous!! So no 100 yrs in my surgery!

thanks for all your help everyone i will try to gain them my grandfather would be 100 now so maybe that will help..thanks guys x