Press release
All Bury patients can now benefit from lifesaving health record
Every patient in Bury can now benefit from having a lifesaving Summary Care Record.
A Summary Care Record is an electronic record which contains key information including details of any medicines a patient takes, any allergies they suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines they may have.
Having this information stored securely in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat a patient in an emergency situation, or when their GP practice is closed.
Patients are assured that only those health care staff that are directly involved in their care will be able to see their Summary Care Record. In addition, healthcare staff will seek permission every time they need to look at a patient’s Summary Care Record.*
Bury is the second area in England to be able to offer all registered patients a Summary Care Record. This has been made possible now that Summary Care Records are now live for all 33 GP practices in the town.
Patients can choose whether or not to have a Summary Care Record made available. If they choose not to have a Record by 'opting out', they can change their mind at any time by informing their GP practice.
The overwhelming majority of Bury patients over the age of 16 in Bury have chosen to have a Summary Care Record created for them and are now benefitting from having vital information about their health held securely and made available to healthcare staff in emergencies and in out of hours care. Children automatically have a Summary Care Record made for them.
In total in Bury over 189,000 patients are now benefitting from having a Summary Care Record.
Dr. Kiran Patel, Chairman and Clinical Lead for the NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group said: “Summary Care Records can save lives. They allow healthcare staff to access key information quickly which enables them to act promptly in an emergency situation. The Summary Care Record is already demonstrating that it is improving patient care in emergency and out of hours settings. By making medication and allergy information available at the point of care, they help to reduce the time taken finding out this key information, this is particularly important if a patient is unconscious.”
“It’s a significant achievement that we have completed a full rollout of Summary Care Records in Bury. Our practices have been on board and patients have welcomed this opportunity.”
To find out more about Summary Care records:
- Patients can speak to their GP practice.
- Visit the Summary Care Record patient website at www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk
- Contact the Summary Care Record patient information line on 0300 123 3020, or
- Contact NHS Bury’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on free phone 0800 328 3166 (during normal office hours).
ENDS
Date: 17th July 2012
Notes to Editor:
*There are occasions, for example if a patient is unconscious, when healthcare staff may look at a Summary Care Record without permission. If they do this, they will make a note on the patient's record to say why they have done this.
National Update - The recently-published report ‘The Clinical Use of the SCR’ confirms the benefits emerging as a result of the SCR, including increased clinician confidence when providing care, safer and more appropriate prescribing, time savings in hospital pharmacy and fewer follow-up appointments with GPs. The report can be accessed at: http://www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/systemsandservices/scr/staff/aboutscr/benefits/index_html
Patients can opt out of having a Summary Care Record and nationally just over 1.3% of citizens have exercised their right not to have a Summary Care Record.
16.1 million records have now been created for patients in England and the numbers are growing fast.”
For press & media enquiries: NHS Bury - contact Caroline Dearden, Corporate Communications Manager on 0161 762 3106 or email bur-pct.communications@nhs.net