Summary Care Record

A Summary Care Record is a short summary of your GP medical records. It tells other health and care staff who care for you (for example an Emergency Department or Minor Injury Unit) about the medicines you take and your allergies. This means they can give you better care if you need health care away from your usual doctor’s surgery:

•  in an emergency
•  when you’re on holiday
•  when your surgery is closed
•  at out-patient clinics

When you are treated away from your usual doctor’s surgery, the health care staff there can’t see your GP medical records. Looking at your SCR can speed up your care and make sure you are given the right medicines and treatment. Staff will ask your permission to look at it (except in an emergency where you are unconscious, for example) and only staff with the right levels of security clearance can access the system, so your information is secure.

Your Summary Care Record will also include your name, address, date of birth and your unique NHS Number to help identify you correctly.

You may want to add other details about your care to your Summary Care Record. This will only happen if you ask for the information to be included. You should discuss your wishes with the healthcare staff treating you.

There are 2 versions used in Oxfordshire:

•     The Summary Care Record: used nationally across England
•     The Oxfordshire Care Summary: used locally across Oxfordshire

Summary Care Record

This is an electronic record used nationally across England and is available to authorised healthcare professionals who care for you in urgent or emergency situations . This might be if you are ill when you are away from home or when your GP surgery is closed. It is based on your GP record and contains key information to support emergency care such as: medicines you take; any allergies you have; or any bad reactions you have had to medicines.

In England a Summary Care Record is automatically created for you unless you opt out.

You can opt to include Additional Information, including significant medical history, medication, management of long term conditions, end of life care, immunisations and communication preferences (Sensitive information like fertility treatment STIs, pregnancy terminations etc are not automatically included unless you request them to be included).

The Oxfordshire Care Summary

The Oxfordshire Care Summary is similar, but contains additional information for healthcare providers you may have need to use in Oxfordshire (e.g. A&E, Out of Hours doctor, District Nurse etc)

More Information

Click here to view a leaflet containing more information.

You can choose not to have a Summary Care Record. You need to let your GP practice know by filling in and returning an opt-out form -
Click here to download an opt-out form.

However, please note that if you do NOT wish to have a Summary Care Records, you will be unable to use our Saturday Bicester-wide HUB clinics.

These clinics are available to all patients in Bicester and are staffed by all 3 Practices in Bicester. We have data sharing set up so that we are able to view the medical records of patients who attend these clinics, and if you decide to opt-out of a Summary Care Record, we will be unable to view your medical records and therefore unable to offer you an appointment.

Please be aware that your Summary Care Record will ONLY by viewed by those directly involved with your care.