What is a Summary Care Record?
Summary Care Records (SCR) are being introduced to improve the safety and quality of patient care. This is an electronic record which gives Healthcare staff faster, easier access to essential information about you, to help provide you with safe treatment when you need care in an emergency or the surgery is closed.
Your SCR will contain important information about any medicines you are taking, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines that you have had.
Who will have access to my SCR?
Only Healthcare staff who are directly involved in your care will have access to your SCR and they need to have a NHS Smartcard with chip and passcode to see it. They will also only be able to see information they need to do their job and their details will be recorded. Healthcare staff will ask your permission every time they need to look at your SCR. If they cannot ask you, because you are unconscious for example, healthcare staff may look at your record and will make a note why no consent was given.
What are my choices?
You can choose to have a SCR, in which case you don’t need to do anything. A SCR will be created for you in early 2012. If you DO NOT want a SCR you must opt-out by completing the Opt-Out form sent to you in the post or given to you when you registered and return it to the address shown on it or hand it into reception.
More Information
If you would like more information about the Summary Care Record you can:
- Phone the SCR information line on 0300 123 3020
- Contact your local Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
- Visit NHS care records website
