Requesting labour notes

[lunalovegood84]

I'd like to request to read any notes from my labour 6 weeks ago and I've found the form and contact details for doing so. Are these notes just what was in my handheld maternity notes, or would there be any additional notes made by the midwife or a doctor, on paper or electronically? I'm in Scotland if that makes any difference.

There will be your hand held notes and maternity notes separately .
If you look up your hospital online they should have a general email address tell them you want a copy of both (they do charge you for a copy of them)

oh sorry thought you'd not found the form. But make sure you request both sets. Also your child will have a separate set of medical notes too with entries.

I would love a copy of my notes - where can I find the form?

Scarletoconnor, do you mean there are labour notes separate to the ones in my handheld notes? I think my handheld notes had an extra section added when I was in hospital, I just don't remember there being much about the actual labour and delivery, more about my recovery afterwards. I wish I had read it more carefully and photocopied it!

AuntieMaggie, I found the form for accessing any medical records via the freedom of information link on the NHS website for my area. This is what it looks like:www.nhsggc.org.uk/content/default.asp?page=s89

luna my mw in labour had an extra folder I think it was lilac that she was writing everything in as well as my normal hospital folder and my maternity noted so she had 3 sets of notes. My maternity noted have a summary but not the detail of everything like temp and bp readings and the trace print outs.

Luna yes you maternity notes. They will hold much more medical information than your handheld ones. You dc will also had medical notes too, which again contain more information than the hand held ones.

Just a tip if you want them because you want to make a complaint get the notes first. It was amazing how many pages from my maternity notes were 'lost' because I stupidly complained first.

Thanks for the info. Scarlet - how annoying. I probably won't make a formal complaint as there was nothing major mishandled, but it was a complicated labour and I'd like more clarity on a few points.

Medical records are exempt under Freedom of Information Act however you can make a Subject Access Request. If you were treated at more than one hospital you'll need to apply to each establishment as your hard notes may be located in various places. There will of course be a fee to pay. Nobody should be altering notes or losing them as this is a breach of the Data Protection Act. If you think for one second this has happened upon receipt of your notes, please contact the Information Commissioners Office.

Its worth remembering that there are legal exemptions where they have the right to redact your notes however they must explain which exemption any redaction falls under.

I worked in DPA for a while for a government body

SouthDerbyshireMamna The trust I went to did get fined for altering / losing my notes and sending misleading info to new hospital when I had dc2 (they stated I had text book delivery to the new hospital when I needed bag and mask resuscitation due to being given the wrong drugs. I was accidentally given iv blood thinners which stopped my blood clotting and I have vonwillebrands. They should have given me factor 8 to make my blood clot not a drug to stop it clotting. I lost 3000mls of blood and needed resuscitation before someone realised). I can't remember who fined them but I know it was to do with losing burning my confidential information and some act to do with this caldecott maybe ? I'm not 100% sure of the specifics though

Not surprisingly the trust is on special measures and in the news a lot you could probably even guess Its name is so famous for being bad

I'm sure they're not all like that though