SHARED INFORMATION AND CONSENT

How is your information shared

The information we hold about you is confidential and we take great care to ensure it is safe, secure and that only people with a legitimate reason for seeing is able to. However there are times when we do share information about you to organisations outside the practice. This could be as simple as sending a referral to a hospital so the consultant is able to treat you; or there may be a legal reason to share data, for example when reporting a communicable disease.

There are now three new ways that we share information about you. They are all ways to help the NHS treat you better whether in emergency care or in planning future services or treatments.

Further infomation about Shared Information

The Summary Care Record (SCR)

The Summary Care Record has been developed as a national service. It is a very short summary of any medication you currently take and any allergies you may have. This information will help healthcare staff to make better decisions on how to treat you in an emergency. It will also help to prevent mistakes. You will be asked for your permission to look at your Summary Care Record except in special circumstance, for example if you are unconscious or if there is a court order. Whenever your Care Record is accessed, a note will be made on your record giving details.

You can choose not to have a Summary Care Record if you do not want one. This will prevent healthcare staff from seeing your information. If you do choose to opt out, you can opt in again at any time.

You will be receiving a letter in the post about the Summary Care Record. It includes a booklet describing the service further and a form for you to opt out, if you wish. See further information about the national Summary Care Record.

Summary Care Record Opt Out Form

To opt out (or back in), you need to tell us in writing as we need your signature. Opt out forms can be found under each relevant section above.

The Care and Health Information Exchange (CHIE)

This is a Hampshire-wide health record. It is similar to the Summary Care Record but holds more information about you. It includes diagnoses from your GP records and letters and test results from hospitals. This is only available in Hampshire and enables healthcare staff in the local area to make even better decisions about any emergency care you may require. As with the SCR, access is only granted with your permission or in exceptional circumstances and a record of access is recorded for future reference.

You can choose to opt out of the CHIE. Information about the CHIE has been sent to each household in Hampshire in the past and posters about it are published in Hampshire Now magazine and displayed in GP surgeries.

To opt out (or back in), you need to tell us in writing as we need your signature. 

Please click here for more information

Medical Interoperability Gateway (MIG)

The MIG project enables GPs to see information recorded by the community teams about a patient, and for community staff to see information recorded by the GPs without having to log onto another system or to search for the patient in another system.

Who uses MIG?

Information will be available between the following organisations within Hampshire:

• GP surgery
• Mental Health
• Children’s Services
• Older People’s Mental Health Inpatients
• Older Person’s Mental Health Community
• Adult Nursing and Therapies

Who can see my information on MIG?

Of the above, all patients will have a GP record, but not all patients will have one of the other records. The GP record will only be visible to the other service if the other service has a record of their own. Staff will only be able to access MIG with your consent, and access will be audited.

What can I do if I don’t want my record shared?

If you don’t want to have your information shared, please contact the surgery and let us know.

Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) provides rights of public access to information held by public authorities. This includes GP practices. The FOIA requires every public authority to adopt and maintain a publication scheme. All requests for information should be made in writing to the Practice Manager. Responses will be made within 20 working days of receipt of the request. Please note a fee may be charged.