Your Summary Care Record is a short summary of your GP medical records. It tells other health and care staff who care for you about the medicines you take and your allergies.
What is an SCR?
If you are registered with a GP Practice in England, you will already have an SCR unless you have previously chosen not to have one.
It includes the following basic information:
- Medicines you are taking
- Allergies you suffer from
- Any bad reactions to medicines
It also includes your name, address, date of birth and unique NHS Number which helps to identify you correctly.
What choices do you have?
You can now choose to include more information in your SCR, such as significant medical history (past and present), information about management of long term conditions, immunisations and patient preferences such as end of life care information, particular care needs and communication preferences.
Your SCR is 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.
This Practice supports SCR however, as a patient you have a choice:
- If you would like an SCR you do not need to do anything and an SCR will be created for you
- If you do NOT want an SCR please contact us online, or alternatively please get in touch with the practice to complete a paper form.
Remember, you can change your mind about your SCR at any time. Talk to our Practice if you want to discuss your option to add more information or decide you no longer want an SCR. If you do nothing we will assume you are happy for us to create a SCR for you.
Vulnerable patients and carers
Having an SCR that includes extra information can be of particular benefit to patients with detailed and complex health problems. If you are a carer for someone and believe that this may benefit them, you could discuss it with them and their GP Practice.
Who can see my SCR?
Only authorised, professional healthcare staff in England who are involved in your direct care can have access to your SCR. Your SCR will not be used for any other purposes.
These staff:
- Need to have a Smartcard with a chip and passcode
- Will only see the information they need to do their job
- Will have their details recorded every time they look at your record
Healthcare professionals will ask for your permission if they need to look at your SCR. If they cannot ask you because you are unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate, they may decide to look at your record because doing so is in your best interest. This access is recorded and checked to ensure that it is appropriate.
SCRs for children
If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 16, and feel they are able to understand this information you should show it to them. You can then support them to come to a decision about having an SCR and whether to include additional information. You may request to opt them out of SAR; any opt-out requests on behalf of children will be carefully considered.
Confidentiality
For information on how the NHS will collect, store and allow access to your electronic records visit the NHS website.