About your Medical Records

You can help your GP and pharmacist by keeping your own records of the medicines you are taking. Telling your GP and pharmacist about the medicines you are taking will help them to give you the most appropriate advice and treatment. Before starting a new medicine you should tell your :

- GP about any non-prescription medicines you are taking including supplements and herbal medicines.

- Pharmacist about any prescription and or non-prescription medicines you are taking.

- GP, pharmacist or practice nurse immediately if you think one or more medicines you are taking is causing an unpleasant side effect.

Mixing medicines can occasionally reduce the effectiveness of a particular medicine, or may mean that you get too much of a particular ingredient.

Your GP may show you your records or they may ask you to make a request in writing.

Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you have a legal right to apply for access to health information held about you. This includes your NHS or private health records held by a GP, optician or dentist, or by a hospital.

You may have to pay a fee to access your health records so ask if there is a charge before you apply to see them.

If you have any concerns about the medicines you are taking then talk to your pharmacist. All pharmacists have an extensive, in-depth knowledge of medicines and are well-placed to advise people on the safety and effectiveness of prescription and non-prescription medicines.