Who will see records?

Published: 21 May 2010

• ANY day now you may receive a letter from NHS Islington explaining that a  personal Summary Care Record (SCR), defined as “a secure, electronic record of important information about your health”, is being issued to everybody over 16. Many people, including the BMA, object to SCRs on the grounds of their breach of personal privacy. Some GPs feel they negate the confidentiality between themselves and patients. 

I am objecting to having an SCR, partly through scepticism about the ‘privacy’ of information available to many thousands of people, and partly due to doubts about accuracy. If I insist on seeing the information, I may “discuss” it , but can I have items deleted if I consider them inaccurate or wish to keep them private?

The new government may cancel this scheme on grounds of expense. 

It would indeed save interview time if you were unable to explain yourself adequately to an unfamiliar paramedic. But how often does this happen?

Angela Sinclair-Loutit
N1