Petition · Department of Health and Social Care
Give Next of Kin Named on Death Certificate Automatic Access to Medical Records
Closed
246 signatures
What the petition asks
Amend the Access to Health Records Act 1990 so that the next of kin named on the death certificate has the legal right to access the deceased person’s full medical records, without needing to be the executor, administrator of the estate, or prove a legal claim. Families deserve peace of mind.
This would increase families' peace of mind and help them understand circumstances surrounding a death, reduce unnecessary legal and administrative obstacles during mourning, help to improve accountability and openness in healthcare and ensure that next of kin have the information they feel they need.
Timeline
| 16 Dec 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 16 Jun 2026 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
246
Status
Closed
Department
Department of Health and Social Care
Opened
16 Dec 2025
Closed
16 Jun 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 7 Aug 2026.