Gladstone Central Medical Centre
Transfer of Records
If you have previously attended another GP clinic we will ask you to sign a Transfer of Medical Records Form. The signed request will be forwarded to your former clinic to request a copy of your medical records to us so that we have an up to date view of your health information i.e. medications, past medical history and immunisation records.
If so, you can complete the form below and return this to us, and we will forward it to your former clinic.
​
Please note, most clinics charge a fee (payable by you) to send copies of your medical record to us. Please be aware that some GP clinics may take several weeks to transfer this information to us.
Exporting Medical Records
To ensure that you are given best practice medicine at Gladstone Central Medical Centre, we will be in constant collaboration with multiple health providers, allied health professionals, certain workplaces/corporations, as well as other professionals, such as lawyers and police officers.
​
There may be instances where the sharing of clinical notes and records are required.
​
We will not provide records to any third party without your consent unless it was necessitated by law.
Australian Medical Association Guidelines
The current Australian Medical Association Guidelines for the transfer of medical records are as follows:
1. To ensure appropriate ongoing care, when a patient transfers to other medical practitioners, medical practitioners should, when asked by a patient, make available either a copy of the original record or a summary.
The reasonable cost for this service should be borne by the patient.
2. While records containing patient medical information do not belong to the patient, the patient has a legal right to access those records.
3. When a patient requests that his/her records be made available to another medical practitioner, a medical practitioner should act on that request.
4. Medical practitioners are under no obligation to provide their original records.
These should be retained by the practitioner who created them.
5. A copy of a patient’s record may be sent to the patient’s new practitioner.
Depending on the size and/or complexity of the record, medical practitioners may wish to provide a health summary instead, if the patient agrees.
​
6. Copies of test results and other investigations, including plans of management should be made available. Copies of clinical reports from other medical practitioners about the patient may be included.
7. Doctors should be entitled to recover from the patient or from any other legally authorised person or authority requesting the information, the reasonable cost of providing access to the information contained in a medical record.
Exporting Medical Records
Transferring Medical Records from GCMC to another surgery
-
The patient is to complete a “Transfer of Medical Records Request” form at their new clinic.
-
You can then present the form in person, via fax, or via email to us
-
Your health summary will then be sent to your new clinic without charge to your new health provider
-
In the unlikely situation where full records are required, they will be sent via our encrypted electronic service and will be charged $30.
*Payment of $30 is required before a full medical record is released to your new clinic.
​
Please Note: We are required by law to retain all medical records for a minimum period of time.