What is the NHS Care Records Service?
Towards the end of December 2013 we joined our Clinical computer system to the NHS Care Records Service to enable Summary Care Records to be created for our patients.
The Summary Care Record is meant to help emergency doctors and nurses help you when you contact them when the surgery is closed. Initially, it will consist of basic information from the patient record such as the date of birth and address, details of allergies, current prescriptions and bad reactions to medicines. Then, each time a patient uses an NHS Service, more information may be added to it.
On 8th April 2015, diagnoses, vaccinations and End of Life care plans, if applicable, will be automatically added to your Summary Care Record. If you do not want this information to be added, please contact the practice, otherwise you do not need to do anything.
As with all new systems, there are pros and cons to think about. When you speak to an emergency doctor you might overlook something that is important and if they have access to your medical record it might avoid mistakes or problems, although even then, you should be asked to give your consent each time a member of NHS staff wishes to access your record, unless you are medically unable to do so.
In Norfolk alone, there have been over 400,000 Summary Care Records created, and these can be accessed – with patient consent – by the NNUH / A&E Department, the out of Hours Services, 111 and the Ambulance Service.
On the other hand, you may have strong views about sharing your personal information and wish to keep your information at the level of this practice. Connecting for Health (CfH), the government agency responsible for the Summary Care Records have agreed with doctors’ leaders that new patients registering with this practice should be able to decide whether or not their information is uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System.
For existing patients it is different in that it is assumed that you want your record uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System unless you actively opt out.
More information about this is available on the “NHS Care Records” website. Click Here
If you choose to opt out of the Summary Care Record scheme, please complete the following document.
Please ensure that you have read and understand the information at the bottom of the Form with the heading, “What does it mean if I DO NOT have a Summary Care Record?”
Alternative Source of Information
An organisation not affiliated to the NHS has launched a campaign “The Big Opt Out” to provide an opposing view to the Government’s NHS Care Records System.
To view their Website: Click Here