Health and social care services have a duty to keep complete, accurate and up-to-date information about your treatment and support. At times, services need to share some of your information with others that are supporting you, so that you can receive the best possible care. The Local Care Record is supporting this by putting in place a secure way of sharing information electronically between local health and care professionals involved in your care.
The Local Care Record enables care professionals to view a patient’s medications, previous treatments, test results and any other relevant care information, when it’s needed and at the touch of a button. This is helping to improve the care people receive by making the sharing of information faster, safer and more secure.
In March 2018 the Local Care Record was linked with the Connect Care system – connecting up some 15,000 care professionals across Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark to benefit approximately two million people. This means that south east London care staff now have immediate access to the information they need to give you the right care.
The Local Care Record currently connects the electronic patient record systems at Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital (including the Princess Royal University Hospital) and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts with the vast majority of GP practices in Southwark, Lambeth and Bromley. The Local Care Record is now also linked to Connect Care, joining two previously separate systems to offer a secure way of sharing information electronically between local staff involved in your care. This means that hospital and community professionals such as doctors, nurses and care workers are all able to make decisions about your care using the most up-to-date information about you.
We have engaged with local people about the Local Care Record, to provide as much relevant information as possible, and to answer any questions you may have. In addition to the information below, there is also information available in GP surgeries, hospitals and community services in south east London.
Protecting your information in the Local Care Record is vitally important. The confidentiality of the patient and their data is carefully protected and safeguarded every time it is used. Only those health care professionals directly involved in your care will be able to access your information in the Local Care Record. It is essential to keep patient data safe and secure.
To protect your confidential information, data is kept safe by:
- using an independent review process to make sure the reason for using patient data is appropriate
- ensuring strict legal contracts are in place before data is shared
- implementing robust IT security.
The Local Care Record processes and shares data in accordance with relevant legislation, including the Data Protection Act 2018.
To find out more information, please talk to your GP or care professional.
Opt Out
If you wish for your information not to be shared please complete an opt out form.
