Important Information Regarding Your Individual Health Records
The Individual Health Record, which is being introduced in Wales, will be used by NHS Wales’ medical staff for your care. The Individual Health Records does not form part of the English electronic summary care health record, which you may have heard about through national Media. In Wales, we have a different approach.
The Individual Health Record means your information can be shared with local Doctors (Out of Hours), Nurses, Pharmacists and other medical staff who look after you, if you are ill and need their advice or assistance outside normal GP hours, or in an emergency.
Why do I need an Individual Health Record?
Whenever you receive care or treatment in NHS Wales information is stored about you, usually on computers. As most computers can’t ‘talk to one another’ the information held about you hasn’t until now been available to other NHS Wales’ staff providing care.
This information about your health is very valuable to Doctors looking after you when you are unwell. It helps them make the best decisions about your care. In time every GP practice in Wales will be invited to take part in this new service which is for your benefit.
What does the Individual Health Record Contain?
The only information that will be available will be:
- Your name, address and contact details
- Details of your current GP practice
- What medication you’re taking or have been taking
- Medical problems you’ve seen your GP about
- Recorded allergies
- Results of any recent tests you may have had, e.g. blood tests and x-rays.
Only the last two years of medication history and one year of test results will be shown.
Who can look at my Individual Health Record?
Doctors and Nurses working for the Out of Hours Service can look at your Individual Health Record on a computer if they need to treat you when your GP surgery is closed. They must ask you if you agree to this before they look at your information. The Out of Hours Services provide urgent GP care on behalf of your GP for 118 hours per week, over two thirds of the total time.
In the future, a limited number of local staff in hospital emergency departments may also be able to look at your Individual Health Record. This will only be with your agreement. If you are unconscious, NHS Wales’ staff may look at your Individual Health Record without your agreement. This is so they can give you the best possible care.
There are strict controls to make sure that your personal information is protected, such as:
- allowing access only to a limited number of staff who are providing your care
- by recording and checking who has accessed your information
More information can be found on the NHS Direct Wales website or by ringing the NHS Direct Wales information line on 0845 46 47.