The accuracy of NHS medical records in Scotland has been questioned by the public services watchdog, and critics have warned there are doubts about their reliability in safety investigations and legal proceedings. Victims of disgraced brain surgeon Sam Eljamel have complained of significant gaps in their records and said they often do not reflect the reality of their care.
There are millions of patient records in Scotland, containing information about health, care and treatment. When things go wrong, these records are relied upon for investigations and legal challenges. However, there is no central NHS system where the records are kept, and a number of concerns about their accuracy have been raised in recent years.
The long-running Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, which is probing patient safety issues at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus, has heard concerns about missing medical records and about how information was recorded. The issue of accurate medical records will also feature heavily in the recently started public inquiry into the actions of Sam Eljamel at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital.
The Scottish government said it took the concerns raised seriously and was engaging with health boards over ways to improve the reliability of patient records.