BMA calls for halt to electronic patient records

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The British Medical Association (BMA) is calling on the Government to suspend part of its NHS IT programme.

It has written a letter to health minister Mike O’Brien asking for him to halt the roll-outs of electronic patient records – known as Summary Care Records – as it feels the process is going too quickly.

Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the council at the BMA, said in a statement: “The break-neck speed with which this programme is being implemented is of huge concern.”

”Patients’ right to opt out is crucial, and it is extremely alarming that records are apparently being created without them being aware of it.”

Back in December the Department of Health (DoH) announced it would be speeding up the implementation of the scheme.

However, the BMA has claimed this is coming too fast as proper pilots have not been undertaken and the public has not received enough information.

“If the process continues to be rushed, not only will the rights of patients be damaged, but the limited confidence of the public and the medical profession in NHS IT will be further eroded,” concluded Meldrum.

The DoH has questioned why the BMA think the project is happening too quickly.

"We are surprised to have a five-year timeframe criticised as a ‘break-neck pace’ when the programme had been previously criticised for its slow uptake,” a spokesperson from the department told IT PRO.

“We absolutely support the right of any patient to opt out of having a summary care record and have provided various options to make this process straightforward.”

UPDATE: IT PRO recieved an updated statement from the DoH which said: "This project has been introduced over five years and has never been rushed. The Summary Care Record is an important patient safety initiative which enables clinicians to access key medical information when treating patients in circumstances when they may be unable to provide this themselves."

“All patients in England over the age of 16 who are registered with a GP will be written to personally about the introduction of Summary Care Records. We absolutely support the right of any patient to opt out of having a record and have provided various options to make this process straightforward."

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