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GP hits out at NHS computerised medical records

7:00am Wednesday 15th February 2012 in News By Katie Bond

Dr Peter Swinyard Dr Peter Swinyard

A SWINDON GP has spoken out about the changes being made to patients’ medical records.

A new central NHS computer system is being gradually introduced across the country called the Summary Care Record, which is meant to help emergency doctors and nurses obtain information about patients when you contact or see them when the surgery is closed.

The Department of Health believes that everyone should be assumed to be happy to have their medical data uploaded to this database and be required to opt out formally if not.

But Dr Peter Swinyard, who is based at Phoenix Surgery in Toothill and is the chairman of the Family Doctor Association, said he believed many patients did not want a Summary Care Record.

He said: “In my practice we have an opt-in policy – only seven have opted in.

“Many GPs, including the partners at the practice, do not support this “presumed” consent but strongly believe that patients should be asked to give explicit consent – that is, ‘opt in’ – before any of their GP health records are placed on the national database.

“I don’t believe anyone in casualty will have time to access it and in the out-of-hours setting, patients will have a list of repeat prescriptions from their GP in any case.

“It’s really just technology for its own sake.It doesn’t justify the millions being spent on it.

“In times of financial stringency they should scrap most of the IT programme and invest the money in patient care.”

About 1,600 records are now viewed each week by out-of-hours providers and in other urgent care and hospital settings. In about one third of cases, GPs are changing their prescribing decisions after accessing a patient’s Summary Care Record.

One in five patients in the UK now have a care record – some 11 million in total – while more than 35 million patients have been contacted and told they will have a record created for them if they do not opt out.

Comments(16)

Robh says...
8:45am Wed 15 Feb 12

Opt in should be the only option.

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Meldrews Dad says...
10:24am Wed 15 Feb 12

Opt in must be made mandatory - this left over from Labours 1984 data gathering must be put back on ice.

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dglaholm says...
10:37am Wed 15 Feb 12

I have been admitted to A&E a few times in recent years and they always ask what medication I am on. As its quite a list its impossible to remember exactly. The staff I spoke to all said it would be good to be able to access patients records on line from their surgery but the computers did not talk to each other. This proposal will save lives and should be standard practice. Data protection Bah !!

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Robfm says...
10:52am Wed 15 Feb 12

Alive, or data protected, now that's a difficult one.

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itsamess says...
2:32pm Wed 15 Feb 12

This doctor must have a very poor system as my GP can tell me and show me all the hospital records both private and NHS right back to my childhood. As i have had minimul illness during my life thus far and have mandatory yearly medicals by my works doctor--also on my GPs records. The specialist i recently visited at GWH was able to tell me everything about the treatment and drugs use to cure the problem i had.

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nikkinoakes says...
9:34am Thu 16 Feb 12

I beleive opt out is the best option...if you are really that bothered you will make the effort to opt out, if you can be bothered to opt in you will (at some point unlessyou forget) - ergo; more people will actively opt out than will opt in.

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Just another number says...
10:58am Thu 16 Feb 12

We are in the information age and I don't care to read the opinion of some dinosaur of a GP who just wants to stand in the way or progress. As it is, I already have a GP who is so ignorant about my health that I end up either having to tell him what I need or I have to ask to see another GP in the surgery who does have a clue.

I would like it if, from my NI number or hospital number, that someone in A&E who is trying to care for me, when I may not not be in a fit state to give any information myself, could access my records. It's common sense, why should anyone even be given the choice to opt out?

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Robfm says...
12:12pm Thu 16 Feb 12

JAN totally agree.

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Moth says...
3:57pm Thu 16 Feb 12

I don't often agree with a doctor but I do agree with Dr Swinyard on this one.

This is data gathering and sharing for the sake of it. It's not going to save anyone's life.

When my husband was taken to A&E, he needed an urgent blood transfusion. Even though they knew his blood group, they still used O Neg which is compatible with everyone and sent a blood test to the lab to crossmatch. Even with this new system, they'd still run their own tests so it wouldn't save any time at all.

Also, given the amount of data that has been lost from government run computers, anyone could end up with your details. Furthermore, confidential my rear end. There have been so many breaches of confidentiality from GWH that I wouldn't trust them with my cat's medical record! Just check back the Adver a few months to find the article on that.

We should have been given the option of opting in only. I shall definitely be opting out.

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faatmaan says...
6:08pm Thu 16 Feb 12

the non cooperation attitude of the many will find that when they need treatment in an emergency away from home especially, they wil be the first to moan at the lack of speed of treatment because medics will not proceed without all the necessary facts, is your health details so private that you only want a doctor of your choice to read them? how many ptients get to see their doctor anyway, this is the stance of king canute, if you value your health cooperate, so if are unlucky to fall ill, help can be readily delivered wherever you may be, this may just save your life,

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beach1e says...
2:51pm Fri 17 Feb 12

this dr obviously doesnt agree with modernisation or faster access to important information. he should think about leaving the profession if he thinks that he and his partners should solely hold a person's medical information .all medical records should be integrated for the benefit of the patient, not the doctor which is what this man seems to be advocating.the thing that i dont understand about the integrated system is the way that once your details are there, the health professional has to obtain your permission each time they check them. just do it.

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ChristineT says...
5:28pm Fri 17 Feb 12

I am more than happy for my details to be on the database especially as I have several illnesses and would be glad of my information being available should I be taken ill away from home.

More people are likely to opt out if they are against it than bother to opt in so I think the opt out option is much better.

I am glad I don't go to Dr Swinyard's surgery.

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faatmaan says...
5:45pm Fri 17 Feb 12

probably no pay rise for doing less as with previous changes

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faatmaan says...
5:45pm Fri 17 Feb 12

probably no pay rise for doing less as with previous changes

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Just another number says...
6:05pm Fri 17 Feb 12

One has to wonder if resistance from any GP has more to do with being caught out for poor record keeping than any other reason.

Once records are available it will be very clear which surgeries are serving their patients well and which are not.

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louisa74 says...
8:23pm Sat 18 Feb 12

last week i got a letter asking if i wanted to opt out i,m sure if i got one then all of swindon got one as well all everyone has to do is opt out there you go job done no need to moan

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