HC Deb 08 February 2000 vol 344 cc107-8W
Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on keeping medical records of personnel working in sensitive defence research establishments. [108469]

Dr. Moonie:

[holding answer 7 February 2000]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Sir John Chisholm to Mr. Tarn Dalyell, dated 8 February 2000: I have been asked to reply to your question about policy on keeping medical records of personnel working in sensitive defence research establishments in view of my responsibilities as Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) which comprises many of the previously separate Ministry of Defence research establishments. The medical records of personnel fall into two types:

  1. (a) Records of a clinical nature which are required to be held under conditions of medical confidentiality. Where there has been any occupational health intervention of anything more than a trivial nature, such a record should exist and will be held within the occupational health department under the control of suitable medical staff for the duration of a person's employment. Material maintained in the record will include items such as the results of medical examinations, results of health surveillance and clinical correspondence from other medical practitioners.
  2. (b) Records not requiring storage under conditions of medical confidentiality which are retained on an individual's personal file. These will include items such as sickness certificates, any medical advice from a doctor to the employer (which should not include medical-in-confidence material) and records of sickness absence.
All records are maintained for the duration of an individual's employment by DERA. In the case of individuals taking up further Civil Service employment, it is our policy to forward records to the new department or unit along with all other personal records. Otherwise, the clinical records are associated with the personal file (in a suitably sealed package) and forwarded to the Defence Storage and Distribution Centre at Llangennech. I hope this information is helpful.

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