Summary Care Records set to Improve Patient Care

Dated: 15-Mar-10

Patients in Bedfordshire could soon be receiving faster, safer and more efficient healthcare, with the introduction of NHS Summary Care Records.

The Summary Care Record (SCR) is a secure electronic record of patients’ vital health information, which can be shared between healthcare staff directly involved in a patient’s care, ensuring essential information is available at the point of treatment. This innovative scheme will give doctors and nurses access to information about a patient’s allergies, current medication and any adverse reactions they may have had to medication in the past. Allowing medical staff access to this information will reduce the chance of misdiagnosis, being prescribed the wrong medication or suffering an allergic reaction – especially in emergency situations.

Every patient registered with a Bedfordshire GP will receive an information pack from 19th March onwards, with a detailed explanation of the system. Patients will then have 12 weeks to consider their options and decide if they would like to have the benefit of an SCR. If they opt out, out of hours and emergency staff will be unable to access recent medical history. If you wish to opt out please click here.

Until the introduction of the SCR there was no national system for sharing vital medical information for use in emergency situations or when a patient’s GP surgery is out of reach. With the new record, if you fall ill anywhere in England, doctors can easily find out if you have been taking any medication or are allergic to any drugs, such as penicillin. Eventually, patients with long-term or complex conditions will have the extra security of not having to remember details of their medication.

If a healthcare professional, other than your own GP, needs to view an SCR, they will first ask the patient for permission, unless it is an emergency, for instance if the patient is unconscious. 

If patients have any queries or concerns or need help in considering their options, they can call an NHS Care Records helpline, 0845 603 8510, or the local PALS service on 01234 409432.