Summary
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.
This means they can give you better care if you need health care away from your usual doctor’s surgery:
•in an emergency
•when you’re on holiday
•when your surgery is closed
•at out-patient clinics
•when you visit a pharmacy
Ask your doctor to include additional information on your SCR
You can add more information to your SCR by asking your doctor. They can add extra details from your medical notes, including:
•health problems like dementia or diabetes
•details of your carer
•your treatment preferences
•communication needs, for example if you have hearing difficulties or need an interpreter
This will help medical staff care for you properly, and respect your choices, when you need care away from your GP surgery. This is because having more information on your SCR means they will have a better understanding of your needs and preferences.
When you are treated away from your usual doctor’s surgery, the health care staff there can’t see your GP medical records. Looking at your SCR can speed up your care and make sure you are given the right medicines and treatment.
Protecting your SCR information
Staff will ask your permission to look at your SCR (except in an emergency where you are unconscious, for example) and only staff with the right levels of security clearance can access the system, so your information is secure. You can ask an organisation to show you a record of who has looked at your SCR – this is called a Subject Access Request.
Opting out
SCRs improve care, but if you don’t want to have one you can opt out. Tell your GP or fill in an SCR opt-out form and give it to your GP practice.
