Patient and Carer Summary Care Records (SCR) Additional Information survey - pilot

Overview

Summary Care Records (SCR)

The SCR is an electronic record of your important health information, created from GP records. With your agreement it can be seen and used by staff involved in your direct care. In exceptional circumstances (e.g. unconsciousness) your record can be viewed by a healthcare professional without asking you, but they must note the reason for accessing without your consent and it is recommended that they ask for your consent when you are able to give it.

The SCR holds important information about:

• Current medication
• Allergies and details of any previous bad reactions to medicines
• The name, address, date of birth and NHS number of the patient

Currently there are over 2 million patients who have already consented to adding further useful Additional Information to their SCR.

When present in the GP health record, SCRs with Additional Information can contain the following:

• Significant medical problems and procedures (past and present)
• Reason for medication
• Anticipatory care information (such as information about the management of long term conditions) 
• Communication preferences (as per the Accessible information standard)
• End of life care information 
• Immunisations 
• Contact details for family, carers and healthcare professionals

Why your views matter

Purpose

The purpose of this survey is to assess the benefits and/or disadvantages of the Additional Information for patients and their carers. 

The questions are phrased towards patients, however carers are very welcome to respond on behalf of someone that they care for.

For this pilot we would also welcome any feedback on the questions, please add any comments to the final question in the survey.

What happens next

In line with the provisions of the government’s Code of Practice on Consultations (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consultation-principles-guidance), a summary report will be published within 12 weeks of the survey closing. Publication may be on this website, elsewhere online and/or in printed form. Within three months of a survey ending we aim to publish a summary of responses received and provide a link to it from this page. This may include quotes of comments, which however, will be non-attributable.

If appropriate, the summary will include a list of organisations that responded but not personal names, addresses or other contact details.

Note that unless we have asked for consent to contact you to discuss feedback, and you have provided that consent, we will not respond to comments on an individual basis.