Additional information added to patients SCR  during Covid-19

Additional information has been added to most patients’ NHS Summary Care Records (SCR), community pharmacy contractors have been reminded.

The move to add additional information to patients’ NHS SCR has come in support of the ongoing fight against Covid-19 pandemic.

A standard SCR information includes details on medicines, allergies, adverse reactions, and the shielded patient flag.

SCR with additional information includes: details of the management of long-term conditions, medications, immunizations, care plan information, and significant medical history - past and present.

Prior to the pandemic, patients who wanted to ensure that those caring for them could see additional information needed to confirm their consent by requesting that their GP practice activate SCR with additional information.

Around five per cent of patients had actively requested their GP practice to add additional data to their SCR.

The additional information has now become viewable by default within patients’ SCRs.

For the duration of the pandemic, patients will not need to ask their GP practice to activate additional information.

The move to add additional information has come in response to the notice issued in March which requires confidential patient data to be shared in the circumstances set out in the notice.

Those patients, less than four per cent, who have opted out of SCR will remain opted out.