"Unable to get my notes from A&E"

I had to go to A and E in early July after feeling unwell for 2 weeks while on a trip back to England from Australia.

I was very pleased with the treatment I received. I had a blood test and a chest X-ray and was diagnosed with a lung infection requiring antibiotics and a course of steroids.

The problem arose when I explained that I no longer lived in England and would therefore need some notes on my treatment to take back to my GP in Australia. The doctor said that wasn't possible, I didn't have the right to see the notes!

I asked if my notes could be sent to my GP but that wasn't possible either. The only solution was for my GP to fax a request for the information which could then be sent. This was done last week but nothing has been received and my GP is really frustrated. The blood tests have been repeated but she is reluctant to redo an X ray and cannot understand why I was not trusted to bring my own notes back to Australia.