How to get a second opinion NHS: what to do if you're not happy with medical care and how to access your notes

• Patients will be able to access their medical records on the NHS App under government plans.
• The proposed changes are part of the new 10 year strategy for the NHS in England.
• It comes as Health Secretary Wes Streeting asks members of the public as well as NHS staff and experts to have their say on the future of the NHS.

Patients will be able to access their medical records on the NHS App under new plans for the NHS, with the government suggesting it would help reduce medical errors.

The proposed changes come as the government asks members of the public as well as NHS staff and experts to share their experiences, views and ideas on how to change the NHS, with the responses helping to shape the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.

Encouraging people to have their say, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “In order to save the things we love about the NHS, we need to change it. Our 10 Year Health Plan will transform the NHS to make it fit for the future, and it will have patients’ and staff’s fingerprints all over it.”

Adding: “I urge everyone to go to change.nhs.uk today and help us build a health service fit for the future.”

How can I access my medical records on the NHS?

The government are proposing plans that mean patients will be able to access their medical records including test results and doctor letters on the NHS App.

Until this is available, the NHS explain that if you want to access your medical records you will need to request your health record from your GP, who will be able to give you access to information including:

• medicines your GP has prescribed
• allergies you have
• vaccinations you've had
• conditions you've been diagnosed with
• notes from appointments at your GP surgery
• results of tests your GP surgery has arranged
• letters that hospitals or specialists have sent to your GP

It will not include your healthcare information kept by other services that has not been sent to your GP. If you need to access these records you will need to contact the service providers directly.

How can you get a second opinion on the NHS?

Patients are entitled to seek a second opinion on the NHS if they have any doubts or concerns about a diagnosis or a treatment according to the Patient’s Association.

To access a second opinion share your concerns with your GP and request a referral to another GP or specialist. Your GP should be supportive, but you can always see another GP at your GP surgery. Your GP can refer you for a second opinion from a specialist at a hospital or clinic.

Patients have choices in the NHS to choose the hospital and service you’d like to go to, as well as choosing a clinical team led by a named consultant and healthcare professional. You can find out more about your options under the NHS Choice Framework.

What is Martha’s Rule?

Martha’s Rule, also known as Martha’s Law has been implemented in the NHS since April 2024. It was brought in after the death of Martha Mills in 2021, the 13-year-old died from sepsis in hospital after being admitted with a pancreatic injury when she fell off her bike.

Her family’s concerns about her condition were not listened to, with a coroner ruling in 2023 that she would have probably survived if she had been moved to an intensive care ward earlier.

Martha’s Rule will be rolled out in phases across NHS England, once it is fully implemented, it means that patients, families and medical staff will have access to round-the-clock rapid review from a separate care team if they have concerns about a patient’s condition.

In May 2024, NHS England confirmed that 143 hospitals had signed up to Martha’s Rule, with the first phase of the programme in place at the locations by March 2025.

You can find out more about how your choices in the NHS and how to access a second opinion at NHS.UK.