No boundaries plan needs shared records

The abolition of GP practice boundaries will increase the importance of shared medical records, according to the Department of Health.

The DH has launched a consultation on its plans to scrap GP practice boundaries which it argues will meet demand from a “significant minority” of patients to move to a different practice.

The consultation looks at the implications of enabling patients to register with any practice of their choice including the impact on home visits, urgent care, co-ordination of care, access to secondary care, resource allocation and IT and access to patients’ medical records.

The consultation says “the need for a more accessible clinical record will increase” if patients are able to register with a GP practice some distance from their home and rely on a local service for urgent care and home visits.

However, it says “this is not in itself an argument against allowing people to register away from home.”

The DH argues that by allowing people to register with a more convenient GP practice, patients will be more likely to see a GP who has access to their medical records than if they rely on A&E and walk-in centres.

However, the document adds that “greater choice will nonetheless increase the importance of shared medical records” and highlights the roll-out of the Summary Care Record, which it says is due to be complete by the end of March 2011 where technically possible.

The consultation document says that “in due course” the SCR will contain key hospital discharge letters and out-of-hours contact information as well as information on allergies, significant medical history and treatment plans.

It says patients can also open a HealthSpace account to access their summary record and show it to any clinician they wish.

The DH document also sets out plans to publish more information about GP practices on the DH website NHS Choices and “through other sources” which the department argues would help patients make the right decision about their choice of GP practice and provide equal access for all.

The consultation document also discusses enabling patients to register with GP practices via internet or email. The DH says that, in light of electronic appointment booking and repeat prescriptions “we think electronic registration would be a natural development” and invites views on such a plan.

In January, the BMA rejected the DH’s proposals to scrap practice boundaries and argued that the introduction of videophones and webcams would be a better way of widening access.

The consultation document and response form is available online and the consultation is open until 28 May.