Summary Health Care records receipt problem

[onewheeldave]

This concerns the impending creation of 'Summary Health Care records' for all NHS patients.

 

(for those who are going to post a question along the lines of 'what's a summary helath care record...', typing the phrase into Google will supply all the info you need).

 

IMO, it's bad enough that the thing is 'opt-out' and i have to go to the trouble of completing a form to refuse my permission for it (along with the risk that, had the letter been lost in the post I wouldn't even know about it and then the NHS would have assumed I was OK with it and gone ahead anyway)- these kind of things should, IMO, be 'opt-in' only.

 

The real problem though and, the reason for this post, is that when I contacted my surgery to arrange to bring in my 'refusal of permission' form, I was told that no receipt could be issued for it.

 

Checking with the local PALS phone number (Patient Advice and Liasion Service) confirmed that the NHS will not issue any kind of receipt/written acknowledgement that this form has been handed in.

 

The PALS also, IMO, patronisingly tried to appease me by claiming that-

 

1. once the form was handed in, the summary care record would 'definitely not' be created (claiming presumably, that the NHS admin system is absolutely infallible and incapeable of losing a form or making a mistake )

 

2. that no receipt is necessary because, a month down the line, I could check with the surgery that the record hasn't made created (unacceptable to me, on the grounds that there are clearly issues with deleting these things once they are made)

 

Imagine if you went to Argos, bought a microwave, paid for it, and then they refused to issue you with a receipt.

 

No amount of assurances that you don't need a receipt because, the microwave won't break, are going to make you feel OK about that.

 

And that's an oven- here we're taking about our medical records and all the privacy issues associated with that!

 

I'm in the process of putting in an offical complaint about this.

 

I'm put this post up in the hope that someone has knowledge about possible legal issues around this i.e.

 

1. do I have a legal right for a written acknowledgement that I've refused permission

 

2. other possibilites, for example, do I have a legal right to walk into my surgery and use a voice recorder so I've got evidence that I've handed in the form

 

3. any other ideas, or links to groups that are concerned about this issue

[cgksheff]

Have you put your concerns to the NHS Care Records Service Information Line on 0845 603 8510?

 

You could take a photocopy of the Opt-Out Form and add a little "recieved on xx/xx/2010" box at the bottom for the receptionist to sign.

 

You could ask to see your records a month later and see whether the "Actioned by practice" box has been completed and take a photocopy for your records.

[Darth Vader]

I thought this had been put on indefinite hold for the time being?

 

not unlike the NHS helpline;)

[cgksheff]

The other alternative, would be to allow the SCR to be created (no opt-out) and then request for it to be permanently deleted.

 

Apparently this requires for you to informed when they have completed the process.

 

Coincidentally, the links to the deletion application form are broken.

[onewheeldave]

 

You could ask to see your records a month later and see whether the "Actioned by practice" box has been completed and take a photocopy for your records.

 

Like I said-

 

 

 

 

The PALS also, IMO, patronisingly tried to appease me by claiming that-

 

1. once the form was handed in, the summary care record would 'definitely not' be created (claiming presumably, that the NHS admin system is absolutely infallible and incapeable of losing a form or making a mistake )

 

2. that no receipt is necessary because, a month down the line, I could check with the surgery that the record hasn't made created (unacceptable to me, on the grounds that there are clearly issues with deleting these things once they are made)

 

The other alternative, would be to allow the SCR to be created (no opt-out) and then request for it to be permanently deleted.

 

Apparently this requires for you to informed when they have completed the process.

 

Coincidentally, the links to the deletion application form are broken.

 

Interesting suggestion, however, from what I've read when researching this, there could well be issues with deleting the thing.

 

I've very little faith in the abilities of the NHS admin system to necessarily do what they're supposed to do- that comes from past personal experience of NHS admin.

 

Also, given the extremely shoddy way this scheme is being wheeled out, I doubt that sorting this out to the patients satisfaction is going to be a big priority.

 

Basically, I'm clearly entitled to not have the thing created in the first place and, to have a receipt for the document I'm handing in- I shouldn't have to be in a position where I have to go along with having it created, just so I can then get it deleted purely to get a receipt.

 

Have you put your concerns to the NHS Care Records Service Information Line on 0845 603 8510?

 

yes- they told me to ring PALs

[matsalleh]

I suspect the database is already in existence complete with every one's details on it.