By Ian Quinn
Uploading of Summary Care Records across England will only be allowed once practices and trusts agree patients have been adequately informed, the Department of Health has ruled.
The move is a bid to clear up huge confusion among GPs about the future of the troubled rollout, which has seen some trusts reportedly try to press ahead with uploading records despite the Government announcing it was putting the programme on hold, amid fears over the lack of information given to patients.
A joint statement from the BMA and NHS Employers released today on behalf of the DH and Connecting for Health said GPs must agree with their trusts that patients have been adequately informed about the process and properly enabled to opt out of the programme if they should wish.
The move applies to all areas involved in the Summary Care Record rollout and Connecting for Health has also agreed to BMA demands to increase the information available to GPs and to launch new local information campaigns aimed at patients.
However, the statement warned that these would both be carried out ‘within the constraints of current policy' .
GPC chair Dr Laurence Buckman said: ‘We are pleased that practices will not be under pressure to upload unless they are satisfied that their patients understand exactly what their consent means, and that all their records are set up properly.'.
‘This will help ensure that the Summary Care Record maintains its potential to benefit patients.'
Halt called to uploading as DH acts to clear confusion Halt called to uploading as DH acts to clear confusion
