One quarter of patients favour records opt-out

Two-thirds of patients believe the government’s consent plans for the Summary Care Record (SCR) are acceptable but one in four would opt out, according to a survey of more than 2600 patients.

The poll, conducted by market research company Opinion Health for GP newspaper Pulse, asked 2,644 patients across the north, Midlands and south of England about their knowledge of and views on the SCR.

The survey found that 66% felt it was an acceptable plan for the government to write to every person in England about its plans for electronic records and assume those who do not object are happy for their records to be uploaded.

However the survey also found that 25% would not wish their records to be uploaded and a further 18% did not know whether they would agree to their summary record being uploaded to the spine. The percentage of patients predicting they would opt out is much higher than the number, less than half a percent, who have actually opted out so far in Bolton, the first early adopter area.

Researchers also found that more than half those questioned, 57%, were concerned that sharing of records could lead to a breach of their confidentiality.

Less than half of those who took part in the survey, 42%, were aware of the government’s plans to create an SCR for every patient in England.

GP practices in four primary care trusts (PCTs), Bolton, Bury, Dorset and South Birmingham, are currently taking part in the early adopter programme for the SCR with a further two PCTs due to join later this year.