Laura Smith, hospital pharmacist, explains how Summary Care Records help her to get the right patient medical information.
Read the video transcript

Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record. Those who look at your Summary Care Record need to:

• be directly involved in caring for you;
• have a Smartcard with a chip and pass code (like a bank card and PIN). 
  

Healthcare staff will only see the information they need to do their job, and they will ask your permission every time they need to look at your Summary Care Record.

If they can’t ask you, for example if you are unconscious, they may look at your Summary Care Record without your permission. If they do this, they will make a note on your record to say why they have done this.

Healthcare staff are trained to know that the Summary Care Record is an information resource to help guide the clinical care they provide (in the same way doctor referral letters or lists of medication are sources of information).

The Summary Care Record is not the only source of information used by healthcare staff. They should make a full assessment of your needs using all information sources available.
 

How does my record stay secure and confidential?