Website of the Department of Health

• Document type:
  Guidance
• Author:
  Department of Health
• Published date:
  5 April 2006
• Primary audience:
  Health and social care professionals
• Product number:
  270422/1 (Part1) and 291514 (Part 2)
• Gateway reference:
  6295 (Part 1), 10678 (Part 2)
• Pages:
  203
• Copyright holder:
  Crown

For historic purposes, the code of practice also replaces the following guidance:

• HSC 1999/053 - For the record
• HSC 1998/217 - Preservation, retention and destruction of GP general medical services records relating to patients (replacement for FHSL (94)(30))
• HSC 1998/153 - Using electronic patient records in hospitals: Legal requirements and good practice
  

The code provides a key component of information governance arrangements for the NHS. This is an evolving document because standards and practice covered by the code will change over time and will be subject to regular review and updated as necessary. As a result of a review, part 2 only of the code in relation to the retention schedules has been updated in light of guidance and advice given from the NHS and professional best practice. The updated part 2 was published on 8 January 2009.

The guidelines contained in this code of practice apply to NHS records of all types (including records of NHS patients treated on behalf of the NHS in the private healthcare sector) regardless of the media on which they are held.

Hard copies are available from our Publications Orderline (please see the link in the right-hand column). Please quote the product document number(s) outlined above for the relevant copy.

Alternatively, the code can be downloaded in full or section by section: