Patients to gain more access to GP data

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has reiterated its commitment to expanding patients’ access to GP records and its responsibility to represent the most vulnerable patients in highlighting the associated safeguarding risks

The organisation stated: “We are committed to working to support patients to access and make best use of their GP records. However, patient access to their records is not without risk and we have a responsibility to represent our most vulnerable patients in highlighting the associated safeguarding risks. These include the risk of possible harm to patients or third parties and to the clinician-patient relationship due to error, coercion or missed opportunities for appropriate clinical oversight and communication.”

NHS England and Improvement’s (NHSEI) accelerated citizen access to GP data programme plans to allow patients to have automatic access to their records via the NHS and other patient facing apps. Such automation removes a level of clinical oversight and exacerbates the safeguarding risks. The programme has specific equalities and health inequalities implications and poses particular risks for vulnerable groups including victims and survivors of domestic abuse, under-18s and those living with intellectual and physical disabilities. As such this programme must be implemented with care, ensuring sufficient time for training and communication.

The RCGP is in the process of updating its patient online toolkit to provide guidance on the ways some of the risks associated with this programme might be mitigated. This work is due for completion at the end of March 2022.

There is concern that the current timeline of April 2022, does not allow for the necessary time and care to be taken. Last week, the RCGP wrote to the Secretary of State to set out its concerns and to request a minimum of an eight-week delay to ensure guidance can be properly rolled out. It has also suggested that the most appropriate course of action would be a longer delay to allow time for piloting and a more gradual implementation approach to be adopted.

“We will continue to work closely with NHSEI to address the implications of this programme for our most vulnerable patients and ensure appropriate communication and guidance across the health service” the RCGP confirmed.