WHAT IS THE SUMMARY CARE RECORD?

The NHS in England is using an electronic record called the Summary Care Record (SCR) to support patient care.

The Summary Care Record is a copy of key information from your GP record. It provides authorised care professionals with faster, secure access to essential information about you when you need care. Summary Care Records improve the safety and quality of your care.

Whenever a care professional accesses your SCR a log is kept. You can ask to see this log if you have concerns; this is known as a Subject Access Request.

Allowing authorised healthcare professionals to have access to this information will improve decision making by doctors and other healthcare professionals and has prevented mistakes being made when patients are being cared for in different care settings.

Healthcare staff will have access to this information, so that they can provide safer care, whenever or wherever you need it, anywhere in England.

WHO CAN SEE MY SUMMARY CARD RECORD?

Healthcare staff who have access to your Summary Care Record:

need to be directly involved in caring for you
need to have an NHS Smartcard with a chip and passcode
will only see the information they need to do their job and
will have their details recorded every time they look at your record

Healthcare staff will ask for your permission every time they need to look at your Summary Care Record. If they cannot ask you (for example if you are unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate), healthcare staff may look at your record without asking you, because they consider that this is in your best interest.

If they have to do this, this decision will be recorded and checked to ensure that the access was appropriate

WHAT INFORMATION DOES MY SUMMARY CARD RECORD CONTAIN?

Your Summary Care Record contains important information about any medicines you are taking, any allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines that you have previously experienced. Your Summary Care Record also includes your name, address, date of birth and your unique NHS Number to help identify you correctly.

You may want to add other details about your care to your Summary Care Record. This will only happen if both you and your GP agree to do this. You should discuss your wishes with your GP practice.

WHAT ARE MY CHOICES?

You can choose to have a Summary Care Record or you can choose to opt out.

If you choose to have a Summary Care Record and are registered with a GP practice, you do not need to do anything as a Summary Care Record is created for you.

MAKING YOUR CHOICE

You can make or change your choice by using the online service at https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/manage-your-choice/

You must have an email address or phone number registered with an NHS service to use the online service. Ask your GP surgery for help if you need to confirm your contact information is up-to-date.

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