Dear Patients,
You may have become aware of a Government initiative to extract data from patient records for the purposes of health service planning. The practice has received numerous enquiries and the main points have been summarised for your perusal:
GPs are legally required, under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, to disclose data to the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) for the purposes of the national data programme unless an individual patient has objected.
This means, as a practice, we do not have a choice.
Practices have an obligation to raise awareness in patients so you understand these changes and that you, the patient, has an opportunity to object and how to do so (please see below).
Extraction commenced in 2018
Patients may also obtain further information by visiting https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/# where you will find further information. Leaflets are available in our waiting areas.
Patients who have opted out of Summary Care Record (SCR)
National data opt out and Summary Care Record are two quite different initiatives:
Summary Care Record
-is an electronic health record that provides healthcare staff with rapid access to essential information about a patient in order to provide them with direct care and treatment.
National data
-extracts data from all care settings to ensure commissioners and providers obtain a more complete and balanced picture of care being delivered to NHS patients to address variations in the quality, efficiency and equity of health service provision.
Opt-out of Summary Care Record does NOT opt patients out of National data
Note: Any unidentifiable data will still be extracted from all records regardless of patient choice.
Summary Care Record
The NHS proposes to introduce a shared care record enabling medical agencies to access and share information, if clinically necessary.
Patients are able to Opt Out of this scheme and the form can be downloaded using the link below.
Opt Out form
If you wish to Opt Out please complete the form and return it to us.
Information regarding Summary Care Records in light of Covid-19
Purpose – During the Covid19 pandemic practices have been told to share details of patients personal confidential and special category data onto the summary care record. The NHS in England uses a national electronic record called the Summary Care Record (SCR) to support patient care. It contains key information from your GP record. Your SCR provides authorised healthcare staff with faster, secure access to essential information about you in an emergency or when you need unplanned care, where such information would otherwise be unavailable.
Legal Basis – Direct Care
The relevant COPI notice states that its purpose: “…is to require organisations to process confidential patient information for the purposes set out in Regulation 3(1) of COPI to support the Secretary of State’s response to Covid-19 (Covid-19 Purpose). “Processing” for these purposes is defined in Regulation 3(2) and includes dissemination of confidential patient information to persons and organisations permitted to process confidential patient information under Regulation 3(3) of COPI. Full details of the Summary Care Record supplementary privacy notice can be found here
Patients have the right to opt out of having their information shared with the SCR by completion of the form which can be downloaded here and returned to the practice. Please note that by opting out of having your information shared with the Summary Care Record could result in a delay care that may be required in an emergency. Processor – NHS England and NHS Digital via GP connect
Patients have the right to see their medical records and where copies of records are requested, a fee may be applicable.
Please contact the practice manager for further information or alternatively visit www.westsussex.nhs.uk/summary-care-records or telephone the dedicated NHS Summary Care Record Information Line on 0300 123 3020.