Summary Care Records (SCR)
Your Summary Care Record is a short summary of your GP medical records. It tells other health and care staff who care for you about the medicines you take and your allergies. This means they can give you better care if you need health care away from the surgery:
- in an emergency
- when you’re on holiday
- when your surgery is closed
- at out-patient clinics
- when you visit a pharmacy
When you are treated away from your usual doctor’s surgery, the health care staff there can’t see your GP medical records. Looking at your Summary Care Record can speed up your care and make sure you are given the right medicines and treatment. Staff will ask your permission to look at it (except in an emergency where you are unconscious, for example) and only staff with the right levels of security clearance can access the system, so your information is secure. You can ask an organisation to show you a record of who has looked at your Summary Care Record – this is called a Subject Access Request.
Enhanced Summary Care Record
You can add more information to your Summary Care Record by asking us to do this at the practice.
This could include:
- health problems like dementia or diabetes
- details of your carer
- your treatment preferences
We encourage all patients to request an Enhanced Summary Care Record because it ensures that the people who are involved in your care are aware of your wishes. Just let us know at the practice if you would like to request and Enhanced Summary Care Record or email: admin.staffahealth@nhs.net
Opting out
Summary Care Records improve care, but if you don’t want to have one you can opt out. Fill in a Summary Care Record Opt Out Form and give it to us at the practice.
More information on your health records
Read more about your medical records at Your health records – NHS Choices.