§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress being made to agree a code of practice to enable patients to have access to their own medical records.
§ Mr. FreemanThe medical profession has provisionally accepted a draft code of practice, a copy of which is in the Library. The Department is now preparing to consult over a three-month period other interested parties such as dentists, nurses, midwives, health visitors, patient interest groups and NHS management. As soon after that consultation as is practicable, the Department will issue the code under cover of a circular.