ACCESS TO MEDICAL REPORTS ACT 1988
Explanatory notes for individuals
This is a guide to your principal rights under the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988. You
should read these notes carefully so that you fully understand your rights under the Act.
If you are unclear as to your rights, you should seek further clarification from the Personnel
department or your doctor.
We would like to ask your doctor for a medical report about you, which may involve a medical
examination. We have already explained to you why the report is needed. Under the Act, you
have three alternative options, set out below.
SUMMARY OF YOUR RIGHTS
You can give consent to us asking your doctor for a report and for him or her to supply it
directly to us, or
You can consent to us asking your doctor for a report but you can request to see the report
before it is supplied to us, or
You can refuse to consent to us asking your doctor for a report.
If you change your mind at any time, you can withdraw your consent or you can ask your doctor
to show you the report before it is supplied to us.
FULLER DETAILS OF YOUR RIGHTS ARE SET OUT BELOW
Option 1 You can consent to us asking for a medical report from your doctor, indicating that
you do not want to see the report before it is supplied to us. To do this, you should strike out
the words “do not consent” in paragraph 1, and the word “do” in paragraph 2, of the form in the
enclosed letter.
You can change your mind later by telling your doctor in writing that you do want to see the
report, provided you do so before it is actually supplied to us. You must then contact your
doctor within 21 days to arrange to see it. If you fail to do so, the doctor can supply the report
without further communication from or with you. If you do have prior access to the report, the
rules set out in Option 2 below will apply.
OR
Option 2 You can consent to us asking your doctor for a medical report, and request to see
the report before it is supplied to us. You can do this by striking out the words “do not consent”
in paragraph 1, and the words “do not” in paragraph 2 of the form in the enclosed letter.
We will tell your doctor that you have asked to see the report and will let you know when we
send the letter to him or her. You will then need to contact your doctor within 21 days of that
letter to arrange to see the report. If you doctor does not hear from you within that time, he or
she will assume that you do not wish to see the report and that you consent to it being
supplied.
If you think that all or part of the report is incorrect or misleading, you can ask your
doctor in writing for the report to be amended. Your doctor is not obliged to amend it,
in which case, you can either:
Agree to the report being supplied unaltered; or
Ask your doctor to attach to the report a statement setting out your
views; or
Withdraw your consent for the report to be supplied.
Please note that a doctor does not have to reveal parts of a medical report which:
He or she believes might cause serious harm to your physical or
mental health or that of others, or
Indicate the doctor’s intentions towards you; or
Would reveal information about a third party or the identity of a third
party who has given the doctor information about your health, unless
that person consents or is a health professional involved in your
clinical care.
If this happens, you doctor will notify you in writing and will allow you to see the
remaining parts of the report.
OR
Option 3 You can refuse to consent to us asking for a medical report from your
doctor. To do this, you should strike out the word “consent” in paragraph 1 of the
form in the enclosed letter.
Whether or not you initially decide to request access to the medical report before it is
supplied, you are entitled to ask your doctor to see the report within six months of it
being supplied to us.
In any case where you do request to see the report, this means that it will be made
available for you to inspect or you will be supplied with a copy. Your doctor may
charge a reasonable fee to cover the costs of supplying it.