Unique record

Yes, this is likely to be the only record.

Reason for keeping

Keep for reference.

Minimum period

Retain for 5 years.

Provenance

All relevant records must be managed in line with RMCoP.

Unique record

No, there is likely to be more than one copy.

Reason for keeping

Keep for reference.

Minimum period

Retain for 25 years.

Provenance

All relevant records must be managed in line with RMCoP.

Unique record

Yes, this is likely to be the only record.

Reason for keeping

Keep for reference

Minimum period

Clinical training

Retain until 75th birthday or duration of employment plus 6 years, whichever is longer.

Statutory and mandatory training

Retain for 10 years after training completed.

Declaration of competence

Retain until 75th birthday or duration of employment plus 6 years, whichever is longer.

Other training

Retain for 6 years after training completed.

Provenance

All relevant records must be managed in line with RMCoP.

Unique record

Yes, this is likely to be the only record.

Reason for keeping

Keep for audit purposes.

Minimum period

Retain for 12 years.

Provenance

All relevant records must be managed in line with RMCoP.

Unique record

Yes, this is likely to be the only record.

Reason for keeping

Keep for audit purposes.

Minimum period

Retain for 10 years.

Comment

Where a legal action has commenced, keep as advised by legal representative.

Provenance

All relevant records must be managed in line with RMCoP.

Unique record

No, there is likely to be more than one copy.

Reason for keeping

This is a legal requirement. Documents should also be kept for reference.

Minimum period

For adults aged 18 yrs and over

Retain for 8 years (10 years in cases of implant insertion)

For a child

Retain until the 25th birthday or for 8 years after a child’s death, or 10 years in the case of implant insertion.

Provenance

Retaining legal mechanism documentation

Unique record

Yes, this is likely to be the only record.

Reason for keeping

Keep for audit purposes.

Minimum period

Retain for 5 years.

Provenance

All relevant records must be managed in line with RMCoP.

Unique record

No, there is likely to be more than one copy.

Reason for keeping

Keep for reference.

Minimum period

Retain for the life of organisation, plus 6 years.

Provenance

All relevant records must be managed in line with RMCoP.

Unique record

Yes, this is likely to be the only record.

Reason for keeping

This is a legal requirement.

Minimum period

Retain for 5 years.

Comment

Can be in hard copy or electronic.

Provenance

The Medicines (Pharmacies) (Responsible Pharmacist) Regulations

Unique record

Yes, this is likely to be the only record.

Reason for keeping

Keep for audit purposes.

Minimum period

Retain for 2 years.

Comment

Where the electronic system has the capacity to destroy records in line with the retention schedule, and where a metadata stub can remain demonstrating that a record has been destroyed, then the Records Management Code should be followed in the same way for electronic records as for paper records with a log being kept of the records destroyed.

If the system does not have this capacity, then once the records have reached the end of their retention periods, they should be inaccessible to users of the system and upon decommissioning, the system (along with audit trails) should be retained for the retention period of the last entry related to the schedule.

Provenance

All relevant records must be managed in line with RMCoP.

Unique record

Yes, this is likely to be the only record.

Reason for keeping

Keep for audit purposes.

Minimum period

Retain for 2 years.

Comment

Where paper records are used, a two part form is recommended: original to be added to the patient record; duplicate kept for 2 years.

Entries made on an electronic database should be reviewed after 2 years and if no longer needed, the record should be destroyed or permanently deleted.

Provenance

This is a best practice recommendation.

Unique record

Yes, this is likely to be the only record.

Reason for keeping

Keep for audit purposes.

Minimum period

Retain for 10 years after the death of the patient.

Comment

Entries should be recorded directly in the patient notes / Patient Medication Record (PMR).

Provenance

All relevant records must be managed in line with RMCoP.

Unique record

Yes, this is likely to be the only record.

Reason for keeping

Keep for audit purposes.

Minimum period

Minor harm incidents

Retain for 10 years

No harm incidents

Retain for 1 year plus current year.

Comment

Recommendations only apply to paper records; entries made on electronic databases should be kept permanently.

These recommendation also apply to any associated statistics gathered in relation to non-serious incidents.

Provenance

• This is a best practice recommendation.
• All relevant records must be managed in line with RMCoP.

Unique record

Yes, this is likely to be the only record.

Reason for keeping

This is a legal requirement.

Minimum period

Retain for 20 years.

Provenance

All relevant records must be managed in line with RMCoP.