How long do we need to keep patient records for?

There are no hard and fast rules on how long client notes should be kept for, but a client or their family could make a case against you or your estate for up to six years, including after your death. 

BABCP’s legal advisers therefore suggest that you keep your private client records for seven years after your last session with them.  As GDPR rules say that personal data must not be retained for longer than necessary, you should arrange for the notes to be destroyed as soon as this period has elapsed.

This advice also applies to keeping records even after you have stopped practising or died. In the latter case, you should have left instructions for the retention and scheduled destruction of your notes in your Clinical Will. There is full information on this in our Clinical Wills webpage (member login required).

You also may have other contractual obligations to retain records for a specific period of time.  For example, Balens insurers request that notes are retained for seven years.  

You must inform your clients of the method and duration of the storage of your notes, as well as the instructions for this in your Clinical Will. This should be done through your Therapy Contract. BABCP members can find our suggested template for this in the Members' Area (login required).