Patient Rights and Subject Access Requests

Patients have rights over their personal information. In dental practice the right most likely to reach a dental nurse is the right of access, often called a subject access request. A patient may ask for copies of notes, radiographs, referral letters, complaints files, appointment records, or details of who has seen their information.

A request does not need legal wording. Phrases such as "Can I have a copy of my records?" or "I want everything you hold about me" can trigger the process. A dental nurse should not ignore the request, argue about it, or promise an immediate copy. The safe response is to acknowledge the request, check identity, record what was asked for, and pass it promptly to the person responsible.

Patient rights you may hear about

• Access: asking for a copy of personal information.
• Rectification: asking for inaccurate information to be corrected.
• Restriction or objection: asking about how information is used in certain circumstances.
• Information: asking how the practice uses, shares, and keeps data.
• Complaint: raising concerns about privacy or data handling.

Patients may also ask for deletion. Dental records normally must be retained for legal, clinical, contractual, or professional reasons, so deletion is not a simple front-desk decision. Route the request to the right person and avoid dismissive language.

Subject access timescales and safeguards

A subject access request can be made in ordinary language. Recognise it, record it, and route it quickly instead of treating it as unusual paperwork.