Increasingly, patient medical data is shared e.g. between GP surgeries and District Nursing, in order to give clinicians access to the most up to date information when attending patients.

The systems we operate require that any sharing of medical information is consented to by patients beforehand. Patients must consent to sharing of the data held by a health provider out to other health providers and must also consent to which of the other providers can access their data.

e.g. it may be necessary to share data held in GP practices with district nurses but the local podiatry department would not need to see it to undertake their work. In this case, patients would allow the surgery to share their data, they would allow the district nurses to access it but they would not allow access by the podiatry department. In this way access to patient data is under patients' control and can be shared on a 'need to know' basis.

Allowing healthcare professionals to view information from your GP record will provide them with important and potentially life-saving information; it will also help to reduce unnecessary repeat tests, such as blood tests and X-rays. Sharing your medical records could save your life.

Did you know... Your GP medical record is the most complete record of your health and wellbeing. But did you know that when you visit a hospital, access mental health or out of hours services, or need an ambulance, those treating you cannot access your record? Your local NHS feels that those involved in your care should be able to see vital information about you to help improve the medical care that you receive, which is why Your Care Connected is being implemented across Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull. Your Care Connected will allow doctors, nurses and other registered healthcare professionals caring for you to view information from your GP record, with your permission, to provide you with better, safer care.

How this helps you

• Faster and easier access to your medical information, which could save your life
• Provides information such as any medication you take and the dosage, any allergies you may have, the results of any recent medical tests you’ve had or which member of the GP practice staff you saw last 
• Improves the safety and quality of your care 
• Less time spent filling in forms 
• More secure than your GP sending your record via fax or recorded delivery to the participating organisations (which is the current alternative) 
• Enables safer delivery of care in an emergency

Who will be able to access your information?

When you visit one of the organisations below, the person treating you will ask for your permission to view information from your GP record using Your Care Connected.

This will help to provide you with better, safer care:

• Birmingham Children’s Hospital
• Birmingham Community Healthcare
• Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust
• Birmingham Women’s Hospital
• Birmingham City Hospital
• Good Hope Hospital
• Heartlands Hospital
• Queen Elizabeth Hospital
• The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital
• Sandwell General Hospital
• Solihull Hospital
• West Midlands Ambulance Service
• Local out-of-hours GP services

Your Care Connected can only be used to view your information with your permission and for your direct care. Please note that clinicians may override your permission in the event of an emergency, for example if you are unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate, or they feel it is essential to your health and wellbeing.

Your information will not be used for any other purposes, such as for research, or given /sold to third parties.

Protecting Information

The importance of privacy Only registered healthcare professionals can view your medical records and they will always ask permission before doing so. What’s more, access is provided through a locked network ensuring your information is always secured to the highest possible standards. The information you share will always be protected.

What will they see?

Health professionals treating you will only view the parts of your medical record listed below and only with your permission; if you allow them to access your record, it will provide them with a host of important information, including:

• Allergies
• Medication
• Hospital admissions and referrals
• Vaccinations and immunisations
• Test results
• Diagnoses
• Treatment
• Medical procedures
• End of life wishes
• Demographic information (age, gender etc.)
• Concerns related to abuse of vulnerable children or adults.

What is not shared?

Your Care Connected does not share everything from your GP record. This is because we follow national guidance on patient confidentiality and the sharing of sensitive information. As a result, Your Care Connected does not currently share information relating to:

• IVF treatment
• HIV and AIDS
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Gender reassignment
• Termination of pregnancy
• Free text from GP record

Your information, your choice

When it comes to your healthcare, you have the power to choose who can see your medical information, when they can see it and how they can access it. If you are happy to share your medical information with those treating you, you do not need to do anything further. If you visit one of the organisations listed on the previous page, those treating you will ask for your permission to view your record.

Opting Out

If you decide to ‘opt-out’ of Your Care Connected only your usual medical practice will be able to access your record electronically. Please be aware that opting out will mean your record is not available at all, even in emergency situations. If you wish to ‘opt-out’ please speak to your practice directly.

Would you like to know more?

Please visit MidlandsYourCareConnected.nhs.uk

Alternatively, you can email the team InfoMidlandsYourCareConnected@nhs.net

Or call them on Freephone 0333 150 3388

Download the patient leaflet Your Care Connected Patient Leaflet

Download the Opt Out Form Your Care Connected Opt Out Form

There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). The Summary Care Record is meant to help emergency doctors and nurses help you when you contact them when the surgery is closed. Initially, it will contain just your medications and allergies.

Later on as the central NHS computer system develops, (known as the ‘Summary Care Record’ – SCR), other staff who work in the NHS will be able to access it along with information from hospitals, out of hours services, and specialists letters that may be added as well.

Your information will be extracted from practices such as ours and held on central NHS databases.   

As with all new systems there are pros and cons to think about. When you speak to an emergency doctor you might overlook something that is important and if they have access to your medical record it might avoid mistakes or problems, although even then, you should be asked to give your consent each time a member of NHS Staff wishes to access your record, unless you are medically unable to do so.

On the other hand, you may have strong views about sharing your personal information and wish to keep your information at the level of this practice. Connecting for Health (CfH), the government agency responsible for the Summary Care Record have agreed with doctors’ leaders that new patients registering with this practice should be able to decide whether or not their information is uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System.

For existing patients it is different in that it is assumed that you want your record uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System unless you actively opt out.

The NHS wants to give people better ways to see their personal health information online. We know that people want to be able to access their health records. It can help you see test results faster. It also lets you read and review notes from your appointments in your own time.

We’re now letting you see all the information within your health record automatically. If you are over 16 and have an online account, such as through the NHS app, NHS website, or another online primary care service, you will now be able to see all future notes and health records from the doctor (GP). Some people can already access this feature, this won’t change for you.

This means that you will be able to see notes from your appointments, as well as test results and any letters that are saved on your records. This only applied to records from your doctor (GP), not from hospitals or other specialists. You will only be able to see information from 1.11.22. For most people, access will be automatic, and you won’t need to do anything.

Your doctor (GP) may talk to you to discuss test results before you are able to see some of your information on the app. Your doctor (GP) may also talk to you before your full records access is given to make sure that having access is of benefit to you. There might be some sensitive information on your record, so you should talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

These changes only apply to people with online accounts. If you do not want an online account, you can still access your health records by requesting this information through reception. The changes also only apply to personal information about you. If you are a carer and would like to see information about someone you care for, speak to reception staff.

The NHS app, website and other online services are all very secure so no one is able to access your information except you. You’ll need to make sure you protect your login details. Don’t share your password with anyone as they will then have access to your personal information.

If you do not want to see your health record, or if you would like more information about these changes, please speak to your GP or reception staff.