SUMMARY CARE RECORDS
Your Health Records
The NHS in England is changing the way it stores and manages your health records. Today, records are kept in all the places where you receive care, for example your GP, hospital or clinic. These places can usually only share information from your records by letter, email, fax or phone. At times, this can slow down treatment and sometimes information can be hard to access.
By making more health records electronic, there will be quicker ways to get important information to healthcare staff treating you, especially if you are away from home and need treatment, in an emergency or when your doctor’s surgery is closed.
About your Summary Care Record
Summary Care Records are being gradually introduced across England to improve the safety and quality of patient care. It will be kept securely; only healthcare staff will be able to access it and there will be a record of each person that looks at your Summary Care Record. A Summary Care Record will give healthcare staff faster, easier access to essential information about you.
The Summary Care Record will contain important information about
* your medication,
* allergies you suffer from and
* any bad reactions to medicines that you have had.
If you want to add more information to your Summary Care Record, talk to your doctor to agree what else you want added.
Children
Children under 16 will not receive an information pack and will automatically have a Summary Care Record created for them.
If you are the parent or guardian and do not want your child to have a Summary Care Record you will need to fill in an opt-out form on behalf of your child and return it to their doctor’s surgery. In some circumstances your GP may feel it is in your child’s best interest to have a Summary Care Record, for example, if your child has a serious allergy that healthcare staff treating them should know about.
Looking at your Summary Care Record
Healthcare staff will ask your permission every time they need to look at your Summary Care Record. If it’s an emergency, for example if you are unconscious, they may look at your record without asking you. If they have to do this, they will make a note on your record.
Your choice
As a patient you have a choice of either having a Summary Care Record or not. You can change your mind at any time by informing your doctor’s surgery.
If you don’t want a Summary Care Record then fill out an opt out form and return it to your surgery. You can get an opt out form from your GP, online, or by contacting the Patient Advice and Liaison Service.
Summary Care Record in NHS North East Essex
Find out when your surgery will create your Summary Care Record
Please contact your surgery if you want more updates.
Viewing: Once created, Harmoni Out of Hours Services are able to look at patients' Summary Care Records with their permission at:
North Colchester Health Centre
Clacton Hospital
Harwich Hospital
To Find Out More
Call the NHS Summary Care Record Information Help Line on 0300 123 3020
Click on any of the links below to find answers to your questions about:
* Summary Care Record Frequently Asked Questions
* Our Guarantee to you - the NHS Care Record Guarantee
* Patient Advice and Liaison Service
* NHS Care Records Service
* National Summary Care Record Statistics
East Essex Primary Care Trust marquee and staff will be available to answer any questions.
The National Summary Care Record leaflet is available in the following formats:
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