Purpose
This policy outlines the practice's use of the NHS Summary Care Record (SCR) to support the safe and effective delivery of patient care.

Policy Statement
The practice supports the use of the Summary Care Record to enable authorised healthcare professionals involved in a patient's care to access relevant clinical information when required. Access to SCR information will be in accordance with NHS guidance, information governance requirements, and data protection legislation.

Principles

• Patient confidentiality will be maintained at all times.
• Access to SCR information must only occur for legitimate clinical purposes.
• Staff must access SCRs using their individual NHS smartcard or authorised login credentials.
• Access will only be made when there is a clear care-related need and, where appropriate, with the patient's permission.
• All access to SCRs is auditable and subject to monitoring.

Staff Responsibilities

• All staff with SCR access must complete appropriate training and comply with information governance policies.
• Any suspected inappropriate access or breach of confidentiality must be reported immediately through the practice's incident reporting process.