Press release
Summary Care Records prove valuable for patients
Reviews commissioned by the Health Minister Simon Burns have concluded that a Summary Care Record containing core patient information will prove valuable for patients needing emergency care.
The Summary Care Record only contains a patient’s demographic details, medications, allergies and details of any adverse reactions to medicines. This is the key medical information that may make all the difference to ensuring safe treatment when a patient needs emergency or unplanned care.
The review, led by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh (NHS Medical Director), involving leading patient representatives and clinicians, including a GP from Bury, agreed that when patients require treatment in an emergency or out of hours, clinicians should have access to the essential information they need to support safe treatment.
The British Medical Association supports the outcome of the review. A BMA spokesperson said: "We welcome the progress that has been made towards an emergency electronic record that supports urgent care, yet recognise many of the understandable concerns of patients and clinicians. Much will depend on the way the amended scheme is put into practice, and the BMA looks forward to continuing our work with government on its implementation. It is essential that patients have genuine control over who has access to their records, and when changes are made to them."
There are many safeguards surrounding Summary Care Records in place which continue to protect patients. Some of these include the requirement to request permission to view a patient’s record at the point of care, and strict audit controls over who can access records.
Locally, NHS Bury has been involved with the Summary Care Record programme since 2007 (Bury was an early adopter site for Summary Care Records). To date, 25 GP Practices across Bury have created more than 137,000 Summary Care Records for their patients.
Patients in Bury are already benefiting from the use of Summary Care Records in out of hours settings. Locally, Summary Care Records can be viewed by health professionals treating patients at many sites including Bury & Rochdale Doctors on Call (BARDOC – the GP out of hours service) and Fairfield General Hospital’s A&E Department.
ENDS
Date: 22 November 2010
FOR PRESS & MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Please contact Caroline Stewart, NE Sector Communications Officer on 0161 655 1552 or email: caroline.stewart5@nhs.net
Notes to editor:
The NHS Summary Care Records early adopter programme was launched in Bury in 2007, following a 16 week public information campaign.
Bury was the second Primary Care Trust (PCT) in the country to join the project which enables patient information to be shared electronically between health professionals.
The Summary Care Record consists of key medical information: allergies, current prescriptions and adverse reactions to medicines. This is available to health professionals treating patients in need of urgent care helping to provide more accurate, safer and swifter care.
For information about the national Summary Care Record Programme visit: http://www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk/
For more information about Summary Care Records in Bury please visit:
http://www.burypct.nhs.uk/here-to-help/scr/scr/scr.aspx
For more information about the recent press release from Connecting for Health and to view the full Department of Health report please visit: http://www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/newsroom/news/valueofscr