What is the NHS Summary Care Record?
The new NHS Summary Care Record (SCR) is being introduced to help deliver better and safer care and give you more choice about who you share your healthcare with.
The Summary Care Record will contain basic information about any allergies you may have, unexpected reactions to medications and any prescriptions you have recently received.
The intention is to help clinicians in Accident and Emergency Departments and ‘Out of Hours’ health services to give you safe, timely and effective treatment.
Clinicians will only be allowed to access your record if they are authorised to do so and, even then, only if you give your express permission. You will be asked if healthcare staff can look at your Summary Care Record every time they need to, unless it is an emergency, for instance if you are unconscious. You can refuse if you think access in unnecessary.
Should you wish to include additional information in your Summary Care Record, what other information can be added to my Summary Care Record?
- Your long term health conditions – such as asthma, diabetes, heart problems or rare medical conditions. Your relevant medical history – clinical procedures that you have had, why you need a particular medicine, the care you are currently receiving and clinical advice to support your future care.
- Your health care preferences – you may have your own care preferences which will make caring for you more in line with your needs, such as special dietary requirements.
- Your personal preferences – you may have personal preferences, such as religious beliefs or legal decisions that you would like to be known.
- Immunisations – details of previous vaccinations, such as tetanus and routine childhood jabs.
- Specific sensitive information - such as any fertility treatments, sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy terminations or gender reassignment will not be included, unless you specifically ask for any of these items to be
Children under the age of 16 - Patients under 16 years will not receive this letter, but will have a Summary Care Record created for them unless their GP surgery is advised otherwise. If you are the parent or guardian of a child then please either make this information available to them or decide and act on their behalf.
You do not have to have a Summary Care Record, although you are strongly recommended to consider this choice. If you decided to proceed, but at any time in the future you, or a child you are responsible for, change your mind and choose not to have a Summary Care Record, all you need do is write to your Surgery informing them of your decision to “Opt-out”. If you have already told your Surgery that you wish to “Opt-out” and you wish this to remain in place you need take no further action.
Please complete the Consent form within the Registration Pack and hand back to Reception to ensure your choice is recorded in your medical records.