In an emergency, having the right information can save your life
A summary care record is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.
Having this information stored in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.
Every patient has the right to a summary care record and GP practices across Greater Manchester are beginning to upload their summaries onto a secure NHS system so that you’ll be protected in an emergency.
Why do I need a Summary Care Record?
A summary care record is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.
Having this information stored in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.
In an emergency, or when it is urgent, it’s important that doctors caring for you know about you and any important medical conditions you may have, or medicines that you are taking.
Sometimes, if you are unconscious or having difficulty speaking, doctors may not be aware of important information about you. This includes the medicines you are taking, if you have any allergies and if you have ever had a bad reaction to something.
This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.
This means they provide you with safer care during an emergency, or when it is urgent. Summary care records are also useful if you need care when your GP practice is closed or if you are away from home in another part of England.
What is the Summary Care Record?
Summary care records contain important information about any medicines you are taking, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines that you have had.
Giving healthcare staff access to this information can prevent mistakes being made when caring for you in an emergency or when your the surgery is closed. You can choose whether or not to have a summary care record.
What Information is included in the Summary Care Record?
Summary care records contain important information about any medicines you are taking, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines that you have had.
You may want to add other details about your care to your summary care record. This will only happen if you ask for the information to be included. You should discuss your wishes with your GP.
I have a child under 16 Years – will they have a Summary Care Record?
Children will automatically have a summary care record made for them.
Your child’s GP will ultimately decide whether or not a summary care record will be made for your child. This is because, in some circumstances, a GP may feel it is in a child’s best interests to have a summary care record, for example if they have a serious allergy that healthcare staff treating them should know about.
Who can see my Summary Care Record?
Only healthcare staff involved in supporting or providing your care can see your summary care record. These memebrs of healthcare staff:
- Need to be directly involved in caring for you
- Need to have an NHS smartcard with a chip and passcode (like a bank card and PIN)
- Will only see the information they need to do their job
- Should have their details recorded
Healthcare staff will ask your permission every time they need to look at your summary care record. If they cannot ask you, for example if you are unconscious, they may look at your summary care record without asking you. If they do this, they will make a note on your record to say why they have done so.
What are my choices with Summary Care Records?
You can choose to have a summary care record. You do not need to do anything. This will happen automatically.
You can choose not to have a summary care record. If you don’t want a Summary Care Record, pleasse complete our online Summary Care Record Opt Out form.
Can I change my mind about having a Summary Care Record?
If you choose not to have a summary care record but then change your mind later we can still make one for you but you will need to let us know.
If you choose, after we have made your summary care record, that you do not want it please also let us know. We will make sure that healthcare staff who try to look at your summary care record when treating you will not be able to do so. We will only make your record available again if whoever needs to see it asks in writing and investigation has found it necessary to do so.
You can ask to have your summary care record deleted, but it may not be possible to do so if the record has already been used to provide you with care.
Is it possible for me to see the information in my Summary Care Record?
You can ask us to print out a copy of your summary care record from our computer system.
Can I change information on my Summary Care Record?
You cannot change information written by healthcare staff, but if you see any errors or incorrect information on your records, please do not hesitate to let us know.
Why can’t I opt in to having a Summary Care Record?
Asking patients to opt out of having a summary care record (rather than opting in) is the simplest option for patients, and has been agreed by the Information Commissioner as being in line with the NHS Care Record Guarantee for England.
This means that patients who would benefit most from having a summary care record, for example vulnerable patients, will not be disadvantaged as there is no need to do anything if they want to have a summary care record made for them.
About NHS Care Records
The NHS has introduced new computer systems and services to improve the safety and quality of your care. Better access to your information makes your care quicker, safer and more personal.
All of the doctors and nurses here at West Point Medical Centre already use a computer system to keep notes of appointments they have with you, plus any medicines you have been prescribed, test results and details of any referrals to other healthcare staff and it is likely that hospital consultants do the same.
Electronic records give our staff quicker access to reliable information about you to help with your treatment, including in emergencies. There are different types of electronic health records held about your care:
- Detailed care records – held locally at places that treat you regularly, like your GP practice or local hospital
- Summary care records – held nationally and can be looked at anywhere in the NHS in England
- Records held in prescriptions, referrals and other local systems