, 2025-05-02 08:03:00
Almost 1 in 4 adults in England have found inaccuracies or missing information in their medical records, new research has shown.
The findings come from a nationally representative poll carried out by BMG Research on behalf of Healthwatch England in March this year.
Researchers surveyed 1800 adults in England online. Of those, 23% reported errors in their records.
Consequences for Patients
Around 12% of respondents said they had been refused treatment because of missing or inaccurate information.
Another 10% reported being prescribed incorrect or inappropriate medication.
Just under 10% said they had received potentially unsafe treatment as a result of errors.
Types of Errors
Among those who spotted problems:
- 26% found incorrect personal details, such as their name or date of birth
- 16% reported errors in their medication history
- 9% had treatments listed that they never received
- 9% saw conditions listed that they never had
Healthwatch noted that such inaccuracies are often caused by human error, especially when NHS staff are “stretched” and “under significant pressure.”
It is unclear how many of the patients were able to correct their records. Healthwatch called for improvements in record keeping and clearer guidance on patients’ rights to amend their records.
Plans for a Single Patient Record
“Sadly, even when patients spot gaps or errors in their records, it can be a nightmare to get it fixed,” commented Jacob Lant, chief executive of National Voices, a coalition of health and social care charities in England.
He urged the government to make it easier for patients to update their records, including those unable to use the NHS App.
The survey findings come after a government announcement last October to introduce a single patient record across the NHS.
The new system is expected to summarise patient health information, test results, and clinical letters in the NHS App. It aims to give patients more control over their health data and improve information sharing among NHS staff.
New legislation is also planned to enable record sharing across NHS trusts, GP surgeries, and ambulance services. This is intended to speed up care, reduce duplicate testing, and minimise medication errors.
The Department of Health and Social Care has estimated that better data access could save NHS staff about 140,000 hours per year, increasing face-to-face time with patients and improving outcomes.
Further details are expected in the forthcoming NHS 10-Year Health Plan.
Annie Lennon is a medical journalist. Her writing appears on Medscape, Medical News Today, and Psych Central, among other outlets.
