Hospital Reports

National Health Service hospitals and trusts are required by the NHS Executive to provide factual reports incidental to the claimant's treatment when requested by the Benefits Agency. The hospitals or their employees are not paid on an individual basis for the reports. It is the responsibility of the hospital or trust management to ensure that the information is supplied.

Although patients are under the care of a designated consultant, this doctor does not necessarily have to complete the report. An alternative member of the medical team, another consultant or other healthcare professional may carry out the task.

The hospital report will contain information obtained from the medical records and the professional's knowledge of the patient. It will consist of detail relating to diagnosis, special tests, clinical findings, medication etc.

A hospital doctor will not have the background knowledge to answer specific questions relating to the criteria for benefit entitlement.

Hospitals are likely to be the most appropriate source of information when the medical diagnosis is uncommon or treatment is very specialised.