Six Dorset practices added to SCR pilots

Dorset Primary Care Trust has announced staff at six more local GP practices will start to use the NHS Summary Care Record this week.

The six GP practices – Milton Abbas, Gillingham, Newland in Sherborne, Cranborne, Swanage and Wool, will begin work on switching to the SCR this week. The Dorset practices form part of the fifth wave of surgeries to switch on the system as part of the Connecting for Health project.

Patients from the six practices will to be informed by letter, and will also be provided with a leaflet telling them about the choices they have and where to get more information if they need it.

A PCT spokesperson told EHI Primary Care: “Patients registered with the named practices will have 16 weeks to make a decision about their own record from the time they receive their letters this week. Unless a patient dissents, these GP practices will automatically create summary care records.”

The spokesperson added: “Patients who are happy with the process do not need to take any action after receiving the letter. Dorset has been chosen as an early adopter site for the national project and the first practice due to go ‘live’ is Sturminster Newton in mid-June. Patients there were consulted last autumn.”

The new system will allow authorised practitioners to share patient information electronically. Patient information such as allergies, current prescriptions and previous adverse reactions to medicines will be available to those treating patients in need of urgent care.

Staff will be permitted to access information only if they are involved in the patient’s treatment, with access to records being monitored securely.

Patients can choose not to have a summary care record or to limit what is shared – they can change their minds at any time. Patients can also register to have direct access to their own records via the secure ‘Healthspace’ website.

Dorset PCT was named the third early adopter site by CfH last July, along with four other sites – Bolton. Bury, Bradford and Airedale and South Birmingham PCTs.

Chief executive, Peter Mankin, said: “The system will help the NHS provide better, safer care wherever patients are treated.”

Jenny Stiling, chair of the Dorset Public Patient Involvement Forum Joint Committee, added: “The scheme will provide a quicker and safer service for patients out of hours and in emergencies and should significantly reduce risk and the time spent waiting to get accurate information.”

Earlier this month, the independent evaluation of the Summary Care Record recommended an urgent review of its implied consent model and questioned whether a national system should be rejected in favour of a series of linked smaller systems.

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