Frequently Asked Questions

The Basics

What exactly do you do?

I retrieve your GP health record (NHS or private) through a Subject Access Request and organise it into a structured, searchable, AI-ready personal health record - ultimately a single folder on your computer, containing text-based files. I also organise any data you supply yourself (wearable exports, private lab results, tracking apps) alongside your GP record, if you choose.

Who does the work?

One person handles your data from start to finish — no teams, no handoffs, no unnecessary access. You’re not dealing with a faceless company or automated system.

How long does it take?

GP practices typically respond to Subject Access Requests within a week (though it may take 30 days). The processing and organisation itself typically takes less than one day.

How do I begin?

See the How It Works page for the full step-by-step process, or get in touch to start with a free introductory call.

Do I need technical knowledge to use this service?

No. I handle the technical work. You just need to tell me which GP practice(s) to request records from, provide any additional data you want included, and review the result.

How do we communicate during the process?

However you prefer - email, video calls, phone, or messaging apps. If you live in or near London, I’m more than happy to meet in person.

Who benefits most from this service?

See the For You? page.

Your GP Record and Data Collection

Does my GP have all my health records?

No. Your GP record is the closest thing the NHS has to a lifelong health record, and for a generally healthy person it captures the majority of meaningful encounters. But the NHS has no central patient record. There are around 7,000 separate organisations (“data controllers”) each independently holding information about patients they have treated.

Your GP record contains your GP consultations, prescriptions, vaccinations, diagnoses, and letters received from hospitals and specialists. But it does not contain:

Hospital detail - The GP receives only a discharge summary after a hospital stay, not the full clinical record. Audits show these summaries average only about 72% completeness, and nearly a third arrive too late to be useful
Diagnostic images - X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs are stored on hospital imaging systems. Your GP receives a text report, never the actual images
Mental health records - Mental health trusts maintain entirely separate systems. Your GP may receive clinic letters, but detailed therapy notes and risk assessments stay within the trust
A&E visits - Whether your GP is even notified of an emergency department visit varies by local arrangement
Dental, optometry, and pharmacy records - All held in completely separate systems with no routine data flow to your GP
Community health services - District nursing, physiotherapy, speech therapy, and similar services typically use their own clinical systems
Private healthcare - Anything from private consultations, surgery, or testing exists only in the private provider’s records unless someone specifically copies your GP in
Social care - Local authority records are held under entirely separate governance

A complete list of all GP practices in the UK is published by NHS England as the “GP Practices” file.

Are sexual health (GUM) clinic visits included in my GP record?

Usually not. Sexual health clinics have enhanced confidentiality under NHS regulations - attendance, test results, and treatment are not automatically shared with your GP. You are typically asked whether you consent to your GP being informed, and can decline. If you did consent, a summary letter may appear in your GP record, but detailed clinical notes remain with the clinic. HIV care is a partial exception - ongoing management often involves the GP, so information sharing is more common (still with your consent). This means your GP record may contain little or no trace of sexual health clinic visits unless you specifically agreed to disclosure.

What if my GP record doesn’t cover everything?

For a generally healthy person, the GP record captures the majority of meaningful health encounters. If you have significant hospital history, specialist treatment, or mental health care, I’m happy to discuss requesting records from other NHS providers on your behalf. This is something we can explore during an initial consultation.

What happens to my GP record when I change practice?

Your GP record is transferred to your new practice through GP2GP, which electronically moves your full record between practices, even when they use different clinical software. This is one of the reasons the GP record works as a lifelong record.

However, GP2GP transfers are not always perfect. Attachments such as scanned letters or hospital correspondence can fail to transfer, and older records originally held on paper may not have been digitised. If you have changed practice several times, there is a risk that some data was lost along the way. My service requests your current GP record (which should contain your full transferred history), creates a structured timeline that makes gaps visible, and can submit SARs to previous practices for missing records if needed.

What data sources do you work with?

See the data sources page for the full list.

How long does a Subject Access Request take?

NHS providers are legally required to respond within 30 days. GP practices typically respond quite fast - often 1 week or less. Hospital trusts typically take longer, and providers can legally add 2 months for “complex” requests. Delays can arise from records stored in multiple IT systems, older archived records, or manual review to redact third-party information. I handle all the follow-ups and chasing for you. See the How It Works page for more detail on the SAR process.

What if the NHS doesn’t respond to my Subject Access Request on time?

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) can enforce SAR compliance, but professional follow-ups usually get results before needing to escalate.

How do I gather my health data from non-NHS sources?

Most health apps, wearables, and private testing companies offer data export. You also have the right under GDPR to request a portable copy of your data from any service. See the data sources page for specifics on each type of source.

What if I can’t get all my health records?

I work with whatever you can access. Having a partial but well-organised health record is still valuable as a starting point — gaps become visible in the structured timeline, and you can fill them over time.

What if I don’t have much health data?

Most people have more than they realise spread across different sources. Even organising a modest amount of data can provide valuable clarity. However, if you really don’t have much (or it’s inaccessible in other countries), this is probably not the right service for you.

What You Receive

What format will my health record be in?

Original SAR document: Your full GP record as received from the practice (PDF)
All derived documents shared as PDF and/or Markdown (.md) - open, human-readable formats that any device can open

Everything is designed to be easily searchable, accessible on any device, and usable with AI tools. You’re not locked into proprietary formats.

Can you process handwritten clinical notes?

Yes. Older GP records commonly include scanned images of handwritten clinical notes - often decades of doctor’s handwriting on Lloyd George cards. I transcribe these using AI as part of the core service, with a plain-English interpretation alongside the original medical terminology. Original scanned images are always retained alongside the transcriptions for verification. Dosages are excluded from transcriptions as a safety measure. See the How It Works page for full details on the transcription process.

Do you scan paper records for me?

No. I process records that are already in digital formats. If you have paper records, you will need to scan them yourself before I can process them. However, handwritten notes already in digital form - such as scanned images within a GP SAR response - are transcribed as part of the service.

Can I use my health record with AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT?

Absolutely. Once your data is organised, you can upload documents for analysis, ask questions about patterns in your health history, understand complex medical terminology, and more. Structured, complete data produces better results from AI than fragmented information. Note: AI provides information, not medical diagnosis - always consult qualified healthcare professionals.

How much data can you typically process?

Any volume - from a straightforward GP record to a comprehensive record spanning 70+ years of medical history (earliest records so far: from 1954!). More data may take slightly longer, but there is no limit.

What if I need updates after my health record is created?

I can discuss ongoing support or periodic updates. Contact me to discuss arrangements - or add new data to your health record yourself.

Privacy and Control

Is my data safe?

Your data is processed by one person, with encrypted storage, data minimisation at every step, and full deletion after delivery. I will never discuss or share anything about your health with anyone other than you — no healthcare providers, no family members, no third parties. For the full technical detail, see How Your Data Is Protected.

Who owns my health data after you process it?

You do. Completely. I don’t retain copies, sell access, or use your data for anything other than creating your health record.

Could my records contain information I wasn’t aware of?

Yes. GP records can include diagnoses that were coded but never explicitly discussed with you, sensitive mental health, family planning, or sexual health notes, clinical observations you don’t remember being told, or information from referral letters you never saw. This is normal - records are written for clinical purposes, not for the patient to read. You can pause or stop reading your record at any point. If anything concerns you, speak to a qualified healthcare professional.

What if I change my mind halfway through?

You can withdraw consent at any point. If you decide to stop the process, I’ll delete any files I have and won’t continue.

What happens to my data after my health record is complete?

You receive your health record, and I delete all copies within 7-14 days (or immediately on request). See the deletion policy for details.

Can my family members access my health record?

Only if you explicitly choose to share files with them. By default, your health record is private and accessible only to you.

Comparisons

Can’t I just use the NHS App?

The NHS App is useful for day-to-day tasks like ordering prescriptions and seeing recent GP notes. But it only shows entries added since your practice enabled online access - not your historical record. It doesn’t include hospital records, specialist correspondence, or anything from private healthcare. And you can’t export or structure the data.

My service retrieves your full GP record through a Subject Access Request - potentially decades of history - and organises it into something structured, searchable, and usable.

How is this different from patient portals from private healthcare providers?

Provider portals show you the data they hold about you. I create your comprehensive health record built around your GP record, integrating any private provider data, wearable exports, or other sources you supply into a single, searchable, permanent record independent of any provider.

If I’ve used private healthcare, how is my data organised?

Private healthcare providers typically operate as separate divisions (e.g. Bupa’s hospitals, dental, and digital GP services all use separate systems). Accessing complete clinical records usually requires Subject Access Requests to the specific division or location where you received treatment.

How is this different from Personal Health Record (PHR) apps?

My service creates the record; I don’t sell software. PHR apps typically require manual data entry, can’t import from NHS or private sources, and store your data in their cloud. What I deliver is the organised record itself - as files on your own device, independent of any app or platform.

What about the NHS Palantir platform?

The NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP) is designed for clinicians and administrators, not for patients to access their own records. The government has announced plans for a “single patient record” via the NHS App from 2028, but this requires new legislation and is years away — and will still only cover NHS data.

What if I move abroad? Will my health record still be useful?

Yes. Your health record is a set of files on your device - it goes wherever you go. See For You? for more on the relocation scenario.

Scope and Limitations

Is this a medical device?

No. Chronicle Health is a personal health data organisation service. It is not a medical device, not medical software, and not a substitute for clinical judgement. See the compliance page for the fuller regulatory position.

Do you provide medical advice?

No. I organise and structure your health data - I don’t interpret it or provide medical guidance.

Do you offer software or a cloud service?

No. I don’t provide software to install or cloud platforms to subscribe to. See the How It Works page for details on what’s included and excluded.

What if I have questions not covered here?

Contact me directly. Every person’s health data situation is unique.

Complaints

I have a complaint. What should I do?

I take complaints seriously. Here is the process:

Contact me - Email [email protected] or message via WhatsApp with details of your concern
Acknowledgement - I will acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days
Investigation - I will investigate and provide a full response within 10 working days. If the matter requires more time, I will let you know and provide a revised timeframe
Resolution - I will propose a resolution and work with you to reach an outcome you are satisfied with
Escalation - If we cannot resolve the matter between us, you have the right to use the route that fits the nature of your concern:
- Data protection: Contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or 0303 123 1113
- Service quality: Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, request repeat performance if the service was not provided with reasonable care and skill. If we cannot agree a remedy, you may bring a claim in the small claims track of the County Court
- Contractual matters: Use the dispute resolution process set out in the Terms of Service (informal resolution, then mediation via CEDR, then arbitration, then courts of England and Wales)