Lancashire and South Cumbria has been chosen by NHS England to be a national pilot for the digitisation of Medical Records. Scanning these paper based records and making them digital will enable better utilisation of space, creating more clinical space, staff areas, multi team space and video hubs, removing the need for some practices to build extensions. In addition it will also make your record more easily and speedily accessible to clinical staff within your practice.
Your complete GP medical record will be digital and stored in a secure cloud based clinical system (only accessible by your GP practice) with the paper based records being securely destroyed following BS EN 15713:2009 Secure destruction of confidential material. Your GP will still be able to access your records easily within this system. The scanning and destruction of the paper records will follow strict data protection guidelines adhered to by the NHS. As with paper based records, digital records are stored for the durations specified in the Records Management Codes of Practice for Health and Social Care. For GP patient records, this states that they may be destroyed 10 years after the patient’s death if they are no longer needed.
If you wish to discuss the scheme, please inform the Practice direct either by letter or via e-mail Audley.healthcentre.nhs.net
Accessing your Medical Records
GP records include information about your medicine, allergies, vaccinations, previous illnesses and test results, hospital discharge summaries, appointment letters and referral letters.
Online Access
You can register to view your electronic medical record as well as book appointments and manage your prescriptions online.
At Stepping Stone Practice we are trying to get as many patients using online facilities as possible. We would encourage you to use online facilities to order repeat prescriptions and manage appointments where you can.
We have two options for patients to access online information and GP services:
The NHS APP – This is an App used with a smartphone or tablet. There is no need to contact us to register. Set up is quick and simple and most people have their access approved withing 2 hours and it doesn’t need to involve the practice – visit https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/ to find out more and get set up.
A patient guide to help you with signing up for and using the NHS App can be viewed here: The NHS App – a patient guide.
Accessing someone else’s records
Health and care records are confidential so you can only access someone else’s records if you’re authorised to do so.
Read more information about accessing someone else’s records.
Getting your records changed
If you think your health record is incorrect, you should let your GP or other health professional know and they will help you to update it.
