The Cheshire Care Record is a summary care record that gives care providers a quick holistic view of your care from all health and social care services in Cheshire. It is a collaboration between GPs, hospitals, community care, mental health and social care services provided across Cheshire to provide health and social care information in one digital record.

Whether you are visiting your GP, attending hospital, or being seen in your own home or health centre by a community nurse or social worker, we want you to get the best care.

We can only do this if all the health and social care professionals involved in your care have access to the information they need to make informed decisions with you. By sharing a summary of the information included in your health and social care records they can provide better care.

Your shared health and social care information will include test results, medications, allergies and social or mental health information relevant to your care.

The professionals treating you will be able to look at computer records of the care you are receiving from other organisations, including your GP or the hospital.

This means:

• You don’t have to keep repeating your medical or social care history
• Care professionals have access to the right information when they need it
• We can reduce duplicate appointments and tests
• You will receive the right treatment and care more quickly.

Timely access to your health and social care records will ensure that GPs, hospital doctors, nurses, social workers and other health and social care professionals have an overview of your care in order to make the best decisions about your diagnosis, treatment and care plan.

Your Cheshire Health Record conforms to very strict confidentiality and security policies.

• It is only viewed at the point of treatment and with your consent
• Only authorised healthcare professionals can view your record
• A record is kept of who has viewed your Cheshire Care Record

If you do not want to share your Cheshire Care Record there are two options available to you:

Tell your GP that you wish to opt out completely, so no-one apart from your GP can see your record even in a medical emergency

or

At the point of treatment you can refuse the health professional access to your record.

This means the healthcare professional providing your care will not be able to view a summary of your record.

If you are unconscious or too unwell to give your permission the system will allow the healthcare professionals to view your record. This will only occur in the case of a medical emergency.

Please be assured that If you have previously opted out of sharing your information locally  then your information will not be  shared with the Cheshire Care Record project.

If you wish to opt back in to make your information available, please contact your GP practice who will arrange this for you.

For more information and a list of GP practices participating in the Cheshire Care Record please go to:

www.cheshirecarerecord.co.uk

Who can I speak to if I have concerns?

If you have any concerns about your Cheshire Care Record please discuss them with your GP practice.

For more information please visit

www.cheshirecarerecord.co.uk

For further help, and if you have any queries about the Cheshire Care Record, please contact:

• Tel: 01244 362741