London GPs challenge SCR

Released 26/02/2010

Practices urged to make it easier for patients to opt out of roll-out

London GPs have launched a publicity campaign to make it easier for patients to "opt-out" of having their medical details uploaded to a central database as part of the Summary Care Record (SCR) rollout.

Londonwide LMCs, has sent a letter to GP expressing concerns about the "very short period" which PCTs and NHS Connecting for Health are giving patients to choose whether to opt out having an SCR.

The letter says: "Many patients will have worries which they will wish to have addressed, and many may not bother or may ignore the letters [from primary care trusts on the summary care record scheme] and miss their chance to opt out from the start."

Londonwide LMCs are making available online a poster for GP surgeries which gives patients simple advice on opting in or out of the summary care records scheme.

The organisation is also encouraging GPs to "be more proactive and contact patients directly, or via patient participation groups, or via the practice website and text system if you have them".

NHS Connecting for Health insists that patients who wish to opt out must sign a disclaimer.

But London GPs are making it easier to opt out. The poster asks: "Do you want your medical records to stay confidential to this practice, or to be uploaded to the NHS central record system, the NHS "spine" ?

If patients are unsure what to do, or want "to be in control" of their health information, they should opt out, in which case, says the poster, "Sign opt-out form at reception".

If patients want, in an emergency, "other healthcare staff" to see what medication they are on and "future health information" they need do nothing, as their data will be uploaded.

Source: Computer Weekly

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