Barrier to Care Record roll-out removed

15 Dec 08

Adastra, which supplies most IT systems for out-of-hours care in England, has created new software that enables simultaneous use of the Patient Demographic Service (PDS) and the SCR, which means GPs will no longer have to move between the two different applications in order to access the SCR.

The move will allow GPs to look up patient’s demographic details on PDS, including their NHS number. Connecting for Health said that where the patient has an SCR, ‘it will be offered to authorised clinicians in a seamless and simple fashion’.

Dr Gillian Braunold, clinical director of the SCR, said: ‘This is an essential requirement before national roll-out, and will enable speedy access to Summary Care Record for millions of patient contacts in out of hours.'