General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDPR)
The data held in the GP medical records of patients is used every day to support health and care planning and research in England, helping to find better treatments and improve patient outcomes for everyone.
NHS Digital has developed a new way to collect this data, called the General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDPR) data collection.
The new data collection reduces burden on GP practices, allowing doctors and other staff to focus on patient care and commences 1 July 2021
The following link provides further information, including a short YouTube video:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research
NHS Digital is the national custodian for health and care data in England and has responsibility for standardising, collecting, analysing, publishing and sharing data and information from across the health and social care system, including general practice.
NHS Digital previously collected patient data from general practices using a service called the General Practice Extraction Service (GPES), which has operated for over 10 years and now needs to be replaced with the GPDPR.
Patient data collected from general practice is needed to support a wide variety of research and analysis to help run and improve health and care services. Whilst the data collected in other care settings such as hospitals is valuable in understanding and improving specific services, it is the patient data in general practice that helps understanding of whether the health and care system as a whole is working for patients.
NHS Digital will not collect patients’ names or addresses. Any other data that could directly identify patients (such as NHS Number, date of birth, full postcode) is replaced with unique codes which are produced by de-identification software before the data is shared with NHS Digital.
This process is called pseudonymisation and means that patients will not be identified directly in the data. NHS Digital will be able to use the software to convert the unique codes back to data that could directly identify patients in certain circumstances, and where there is a valid legal reason.
If patient’s don’t want their identifiable patient data to be shared for purposes except for their own care, they can opt-out by:
Registering a Type 1 Opt-out (see link below for how to do this)
Registering a National Data Opt-out (see link below for how to do this)
These opt-outs are different, and they are explained in the link below:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research/transparency-notice
Summary Care Record
There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). It is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.
Why do I need a Summary Care Record?
Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.
This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example; which medicines they choose to prescribe you.
Who can see it?
Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.
Do I have to have one?
No. It is not compulsory. If you choose to opt out of the scheme, please print off a copy of the 'opt out' form below, complete and return to the practice at your earliest convenience:-
SCR Opt Out Form.pdf
More Information
For further information please go to https://digital.nhs.uk/services/summary-care-records-scr/summary-care-records-scr-information-for-patients
My Care Record
What is it?
The people caring for you need access to your health and care record in order to make the best decisions about your diagnosis and treatment. This could include GPs, hospital-based clinicians, nurses, health visitors and social workers.
For this to happen more quickly and to improve the care you receive, a new process has been put in place.
This will allow your information to be accessed by different health and care organisations, using existing computer systems.
This does not share your record, but provides health and care professionals, with your permission, access to view your information.
How it works
My Care Record securely connects different health and care computer systems together. When a patient’s records are requested, it collects the information from the different systems and allows health or care professionals treating to view this information. None of the information it collects is stored and none of it can be changed. The information viewed is therefore always as up-to-date as possible.
Before any information is collected or displayed to a health and care professional, the patient must be asked for their permission. Patient permission is recorded in an audit trail so that we know exactly who has accessed what information and when. The audit trail is available to the people who hold the original record (for example your GP).
For more information on My Care Records, please click on:
http://www.mycarerecord.org.uk/
If however, after you have read all the information regarding 'My Care Record' you do not wish your information to be made available, please print off a copy of the 'opt out' form below and return to the practice at your earliest convenience:-
My Care Record Opt Out Form