GPs told to tee up SCR information drive

GP practices have been advised to educate their patients about the Summary Care Record while the suspension of its roll-out is in place.

The Department of Health announced last week that it had suspended the accelerated roll-out of the SCR following a call from the BMA to halt the upload of records. 

The BMA had raised a range of concerns, including a lack of information for patients.

This week, GPs in London, one of five strategic health authority areas planning an accelerated roll-out of the scheme, were advised to use the suspension for patient education on the SCR.

Londonwide Local Medical Committees told its GP members that the DH decision meant GP practices had “more time to enable your patients to be adequately informed.”

Its guidance added: “Our advice therefore is to use the period of suspension to maximise your patients’ awareness at the practice, through patient participation groups, through electronic communications where you have them and by word of mouth at dinner parties, the golf course and so on.”

In previous guidance, Londonwide LMCs advised its members to consider proactively contacting patients about the SCR.

It said that whatever individual GPs felt about the project, “it is our duty as doctors to ensure that patients are adequately informed about the handling of information recorded.”

This week the LMC said practices should do their best to ensure their patients have been adequately informed about SCRs, including helping them understand their right to opt out.

Records have so far been uploaded in 16 primary care trusts. A further four PCTs will continue with uploads. The uploads in another 79 PCTs where Patient Information Programmes are either in progress or complete will not go ahead at the moment.

The DH said the suspension would apply “until there is greater public and professional awareness” but no date has been set for uploading of SCRs to resume.