Summary Care Records

NHS Summary Care Records are now being trialled at this surgery.

A summary Care Record is an electronic record containing key health information, which can be made available to NHS healthcare staff caring for you in an emergency or when the surgery is closed. Further information can be found using the link on the right.

The NHS in England is introducing the Summary Care Record, which will be used in emergency care.

The record will contain a limited amount of information about any medicines you are taking, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had to ensure those caring for you have enough information to treat you safely. This is the only information that will be included in the Summary Care Record.

Your Summary Care Record will be available to authorised healthcare staff providing your care anywhere in England, but they will ask your permission before they look at it. This means that

if you have an accident or become ill, healthcare staff treating you will have immediate access to important information about your health.

Your GP practice is supporting Summary Care Records and as a patient you have a choice:

Yes I would like a Summary Care Record – you do not need to do anything and a Summary Care Record will be created for you.

No I do not want a Summary Care Record – Please complete the form included in your information pack and hand it to a member of the GP practice staff.

If you need more time to make your choice you should let your GP practice know.

For more information talk to your GP practice staff, visit the local website www.northamptonshire.nhs.uk/scr or www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk  or telephone the dedicated NHS Summary Care Record Information Line on 0300123 3020.

Additional copies of the opt out form can be collected from the GP practice, printed from the website www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk or requested from the dedicated NHS Summary Care Record Information Line on 0300 123 3020.

You can choose not to have a Summary Care Record and you can change your mind at any time by informing your GP practice.

If you do nothing we will assume that you are happy with these changes and create a Summary Care Record for you. Children under 16 will automatically have a Summary Care Record created for them unless their parent or guardian chooses to opt them out.  If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 16 and feel that they are old enough to understand, then you should make this information available to them.

• Monday 14th March 4pm - 7pm
• Monday 4th April 4pm - 7pm
• Wednesday 20th April 11am - 2pm
• Monday 9th May 4pm - 7pm
• Wednesday 25th May 11am - 2pm

Frequently Asked Questions About The Summary Care Record

What is the Summary Care Record?

Your Summary Care Record will contain important information about any medicines you are taking, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines thatyou have had.

Giving healthcare staff access to this information can prevent mistakes being madewhen caring for you in an emergency or when your GP practice is closed.

You can choose whether or not to have a Summary Care Record.

What information is included in the Summary Care Record?

If you decide to have a Summary Care Record it will 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. Thiswill only happen if you ask for the information to be included. You should discuss your wishes with your GP practice.

How will the Summary Care Record help me?

Healthcare staff will have quicker access to information about any medicines you are taking,allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had. This means they can provide you with safer care during an emergency, when your GP practice is closed or when you are away from home in another part of England.

Overtime, you will be able to look at your Summary Care Record via a secure website called Health Space. You must register to use Health Space to keep it as secure as possible.

You can get more information about HealthSpace at http://www.healthspace.nhs.uk/ or from your local NHS.

Who can see my Summary Care Record?

Only NHS healthcare staff involved in supporting or providing your care can see your Summary Care Record. Healthcare staff who can see your Summary Care Record:

• 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; and
• will 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 this and the access will be investigated to ensure that this was a valid reason.

Can I stop information being put into my Summary Care Record?

NHS healthcare staff need to make accurate, relevant records of the care you have had.

You can choose not to have a Summary Care Record. If you do not want a Summary CareRecord you must fill in an opt-out form which you will receive with an information pack being sent to all patients. The opt-out form should be returned in the envelope provided or taken to your GP practice.

You need to read the information in the pack and make a choice. 

If you are happy to have a Summary Care Record, you do not need to do anything; one will automatically be created for you.

If you donot want a Summary Care Record, please fill in your opt-out form and return inthe envelope provided. You can also get an opt-out form from your GP practice, or you can ask us to send you one byphoning the National Summary Care Record Information Line on 0300 123 3020.

My letter mentions further information about Summary Care Records willbe available at drop-in sessions being held. Do I need to go to these sessions?

No, not if you do not want to. These sessions are opportunities to find out more information and it is entirely up to you whether you go or not. For information about the drop-in sessions, please ask your GP practice; or visit www.northamptonshire.nhs.uk/scr

I have received a letter that is not addressed to me. What should I dowith it?

You should return the letter, unopened, to the PO box number on the back of the envelope. 

Will you ask my permission to make my Summary Care Record?

Before a Summary Care Record will be created, we will send you a letter and an information pack explaining the changes that are taking place in your local area and the choice you have to make.

If you want a Summary Care Record you do not need to do anything. We will automatically create one for you.

You can choose not to have a Summary Care Record. If you do not want a Summary CareRecord you must fill in an opt-out form which you will receive with an information pack being sent to all patients. The opt-out form should be returned in the envelope provided or given to your GP practice.

How long do I have from getting my letter to making my choice aboutwhether I want a Summary Care Record?

The letteryou receive(d) from your local Primary Care Trust will mention a date by which you need to make a choice. (This is usually within at least 12 weeks of receiving the letter). 

You need to decide whether you want a Summary Care Record. If you do not, you need to fill in the opt-out form included in your information pack, and return it inthe envelope provided or take it to your GP practice.

If you choose to have a Summary Care Record you do not need to do anything. Sometime after the date mentioned in your letter, we will make your SummaryCare Record for you.

Whatever you decide you can change your mindat any time, but you need to let your GP practice know.

What will happen if I choose not to have a Summary Care Record?

If youchoose not to have a Summary Care Record the healthcare staff caring for you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed, may not be able to look at information about any medicines you are taking, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines that you have had.

Whatever you decide you can change your mind at any time. We will always provide you with the best possible care.

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 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.

Why can't I opt out online rather than having to print out the form and return it to my GP practice?

Your GP practice needs to know if you want to opt out of having a Summary Care Record to make sure that your wishes are carried out. Filling in and returning the opt-outform to your GP practice allows them to do this.

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, you should let your GP practice know.

Can I add information to my Summary Care Record?

You may have other details about your care added 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 practice.

Access to your Summary Care Record 

Will healthcare staff ask me if they want to look at my Summary CareRecord?

Yes, healthcare staff will ask you 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 record without asking you. If they do this, they will make a note on your record to say why they have done so.

How do I find out who has looked at my Summary Care Record?

Healthcare staff will ask you 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 record without asking you. If they do this, they will make a note on your record to say why they have done so.

Will other people other than those providing me with care be able toaccess my Summary Care Record?

Peopleoutside of the NHS will not be able to access your record other than in circumstances where it is allowed by law, in these circumstances your permission would be asked. This is explained in the leaflet NHS Care Record Guarantee: Our Guarantee for NHS Care Records in England which can be downloaded at www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk/publications

or you can call the National Summary Care Record information line on 0300 123 3020 to request a copy.

Keeping your Summary Care Record safe and confidential

Is my Summary Care Record safe from hackers?

It would be very difficult to hack into it because, like all other NHS computer systemsand services, Summary Care Records aim to use the strongest national and international security measures available.

Could my records be accidentally deleted or lost?

No, thereis strong protection to prevent any information about you being lost or deleted. The information is copied to a separate secure place so there is always a back-up copy of your records.

How will you protect my confidentiality?

By law,everyone working for or on behalf of the NHS must respect your confidentiality and keep all information about you secure.

The NHS publish the NHS Care Record Guarantee for England. This says how your electronic records are collected, stored and how your records are accessed along with your choices for how your information is stored and looked at. Copies of the leaflet can be downloaded at www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk/publicationsor you can call the National Summary CareRecord information line on 0300 123 3020 to request a copy.

No matter how careful we are, there are always risks when information is held on computers, as there are with paper records. In every place we treat you there are people responsible for protecting your confidentiality.

What are my rights about how you keep my health informationconfidential?

You have the right to expect us to keep your health information private. You also have rights to make sure we keep your details confidential by law, including under the Data Protection Act and human rights legislation.

In every NHS place we treat you, there are people who are responsible for making sure your details are kept confidential. They are sometimes known as Information Guardians or Caldicott Guardians.

Can I choose for my child not to have a Summary Care Record?

Children will automatically have a Summary Care Record made for them.

If you do not want your child to have a Summary Care Record you will need to fill in an opt out form on behalf of your child and return this to your GP practice.  The opt out form will then require the countersignature of your child’s GP.

In some circumstances your GP may feel it is in your child's best interests to have a Summary Care Record. For example, if your child has a serious allergy that healthcare staff treating your child should know about.  The GP practice would discuss this with you.

Can I have access to my Summary Care Record online if I am under 16?

No. Ifyou are under 16, you won't be able to see your Summary Care Record using the Health Space website http://www.healthspace.nhs.uk/

This does not affect your rights to ask us to look at your information held under the Data Protection Act.

Is it possible to opt out on behalf of another person?

In certain circumstances it is possible to ask to opt-out on behalf of another person, for example, children or adults of limited capacity.

The decision will ultimately be made by their GP, as in some circumstances your GPmay feel it is in the person's best interests to have a Summary Care Record.For example, if the person has a serious allergy that healthcare staff treating the person should know about.

You need to contact their GP to discuss this.

Getting more information about Summary Care Records

Where can I get more information?

For more information about Summary Care Records and your choices:

• Phone the Summary Care Record InformationLine on 0300 123 3020
• Contact the Advice and Information Service at NHS Northamptonshire on 0800 587 0879
• Speak to a member of staff atyour GP practice.

Why aren't other languages listed? How do I get information in another language?

If English is not your first language, the Summary Care Record Information Line 0300 123 3020 can provide both text and translation services. Or, you could ask a  friend or relative to phone the Summary Care Record Information Line for you.

Alternatively there are a range of leaflets in other languages on the http://www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk/ website for you.

Why don't I have a drop-in centre nearer to me?

NHS Northamptonshire is holding drop-in sessions in each area around the time that the Summary Care record is being introduced in that area.

Information about the drop-in sessions including time and locations is available on the NHS Northamptonshire website at www.northamptonshire.nhs.uk/scr. 

When your GP practice is ready to start the Summary Care Record drop in sessions will be advertised in your local area.