Part I Period for which Medical Records must be RetainedI1

England and Wales

Type of patient	Minimum period of retention
(a) Patient who was under the age of 17 at the date on which the treatment to which the records refer was concluded	Until the patient’s 25th birthday
(b) Patient who was aged 17 at the date on which the treatment to which the records refers was concluded	Until the patient’s 26th birthday
(c) Patient who died before attaining the age of 18	A period of 8 years beginning on the date of patient’s death
(d) Patient who was treated for mental disorder during the period to which the records refer	A period of 20 years beginning on the date of the last entry in the record
(e) Patient who was treated for mental disorder during the period to which the records refer and who died whilst receiving that treatment	A period of 8 years beginning on the date of the patient’s death
(f) Patient whose records relate to treatment by a general practitioner	A period of 10 years beginning on the date of the last entry in the record
(g) Patient who has received an organ transplant the earlier	A period of 11 years beginning on the date of the patient’s death or discharge whichever is
(h) Patients involved in clinical trials	A period of 15 years beginning with the date of conclusion of treatment
(i) All other cases	A period of 8 years beginning on the date of the last entry in the record

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