title: Exploring the legal status of healthcare documentation in the UK.
abstract: This article considers the legal status of documentation and the point at which records become legal documents. It outlines the powers of the courts that require any documentation or other records to be produced if relevant to an issue arising in a dispute. It also discusses hearsay evidence and the fact that usually evidence on records needs to be corroborated.
authors.affiliation: University of Glamorgan.
authors.forename: Bridgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dimond
mesh_terms: D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004282:Documentation / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008499:Medical Records / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards; D009737:Nursing Records / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards; D033283:Patient Access to Records / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012308:Risk Management / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006113:United Kingdom