Sharing Records

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Your Electronic Patient Record and the Sharing of Information

Many people think their GP record is available to all healthcare professionals involved in their care; but this is not always the case.  It is very common that each healthcare professional you see keeps a separate record.  This can mean important information may not be communicated between health services as well as it could be.

Delivery of your care would be supported by information about you being shared with other health organisations.  Across Nottinghamshire we are introducing a local GP record sharing model which will allow us to make relevant medical information from your GP record available to other healthcare professionals at the point of need when they are providing care for you.

You will always be asked for your explicit consent before a healthcare professional accesses your GP record.  If you say “No” they will not be able to see your medical information.  If however you are unconscious for example in an emergency situation a healthcare professional may access your GP record without permission if it is deemed in your best interest to provide emergency direct care.

Examples of organisations that may access your GP health information include Out of Hours Teams, Walk in Centres, Hospitals /A&E Departments and Community Healthcare Teams.

Sharing your GP record in this way is designed to ensure that the healthcare professionals looking after you have the most relevant up to date information to enable them to provide you with the most appropriate care.  It may also mean that you won’t have unnecessary tests, have to repeat information or be given drugs that you may be allergic to.

If you wish to only make certain parts of your GP record available and not all of it then you can ask for sections of your GP record to be marked as ‘Private’.  Private information will never be shared unless it is required by law or you give permission.

We would encourage everyone to make their GP record available in case they need to be seen in an emergency or out of hours.  If you have certain health conditions or go to hospital a lot then you should definitely make your record available.

You can choose to share your electronic patient record with other care services.

You can also choose not to share your electronic patient record with other care services.

The NHS Website explains more. There is also a consent form available online.