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'Information relating to the forthcoming rollout of the SCR'.
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Summary Care Record Project - Update
As 6 March 2009
Waves:
First Wave Practices: Doctor Down & Partners, Tawstock Medical Centre; (Wave 1a) Doctor H Yoxall, Blackbrook Surgery,
Dr J Gower & Partners, Hendford Lodge Medical Centre, and Abbey Manor Medical Practice;
Dr Rickard & Partners,
Dr Bevan & Partners both Wellington Medical Centre.
1.2 Other waves will follow in April (1b), June, September and November/December.
Data extract: A meeting has been held with Kevin Hudson to discuss the data extract which is anticipated to take place on 19 March 2009 (or sooner if possible) for first wave practices.
Mailhouse activities: Letters will be sent to patients by Synertec, based in Wellington, on the 24th and 25th of March 2009. Patient data will be sent on a spreadsheet over the NHS server to an NHS.net account set up and being used by other NHS organisations.
Caldicot issues: I have a meeting on Monday 9th March with Mary Monnington to discuss various issues including the Privacy Officer role and GP Caldicot training.
Communications
Website: Matt Rawles has created a draft of the website containing the opt-out form for patients and a copy of the letter now approved in its final form. Over the next few weeks added to this website will be frequently asked questions, helpful advice and guidance for patients, copy presentations, and a rolling update of practices signing up for each of the waves. [See draft website on http://10.132.170.237/SCR/index.asp ]
Communications Working Group: Cherie Padley, Keith Whittaker and Paul Courtney will be working on press releases, editorials, advertisements, and letters to MPs as part of the Public Information Program (PIP). Their first meeting will be on 19 March to finalise the intense work that is going on at the moment.
Training
Engagement: Cherie Padley will be contacting all practice managers over the next few months
Concept: structured training sessions will be given to GPs and staff which will cover not only the concept of SCR and HealthSpace but also aimed at addressing any issues raised by practices so far within the project
Dealing with queries: practice staff will be given procedures and help in dealing with patient queries and new registrations
Drop-in sessions: at least two per practice depending on the list size. These are designed to answer patient queries and deal with HealthSpace registrations
A&E and 00H: training for these staff will be given much later in the project
Useful documents: Your attention is drawn to the following documents which may give you an overview of the summary care record and HealthSpace registration schemes:
Paragraphs 2.1 to 2.3 of the Project Team meeting held on the 2 March
Concept training and presentation (attached - on the website next week)
Draft of frequently asked questions now under review (on web site next week)
Procurement process: the tendering process has begun for the next wave.
Meetings;
RBAC and Smartcards Working Group: Thursday, 12th March
Communications Working Group 19thMarch
Project Team meeting 31st March at 9 AM Artillery Road.
March Project Board to be arranged
Issues raised over the last fortnight:
Effect on system: some GPs are concerned SCR will have an impact on the performance of their systems. This is not true (see next point). The bulk of the upload is done at the outset - thereafter it's just new patient registrations.
GPs are reluctant to use smartcards, certificates have expired and roles are out of date. This is being addressed through the RBAC working group and we are explaining to doctors following points:
the simplicity of the smartcard system: GPs do not need to access the spine really have their smartcards in the reader and the pain activated all other transactions to update SCR will be done automatically unless they wish to update specific data manually on the spine
the strength of the smartcard system is such that it relies on a clinician using a smartcard with its chip containing the roles and access levels which that person is authorised to use, pin number, and a legitimate relationship with the patient will stop this is to enable Audit Trail to exist.
If the GP fails to activate the link between their practice system and the spine the message which is generated to centre SCR will not happen until that's clinician enters the patient record whilst the smartcard is in the reader. This is a security measure which makes smartcards and health information incredibly robust.
We are telling GPs that data from the spine cannot be downloaded, copied onto USB, laptops, discs, or the Internet, being the primary sources of data security breaches.
10.3 One GP was worried that if he fails to update an allergy on a patient because he has forgotten to use his smartcard and that patient subsequently suffers harm in A&E as a result, he could be held liable. Consequently, he does not want his patients to have an SCR. My view is that a slim chance of an oversight is no reason to disadvantage patients choice - he is effectively taking away that choice from all his other patients and may do more harm than good.
10.4 What happens if I refuse to join a wave? If a GP fails to join the practice may be required still to set up SCRs for patients at a time in the future when the opportunity has gone. They will have to do all the work themselves, including paying for the postage.
David Tucker
Project Manager
07811 200433