The purpose of the SCR is to provide the minimal essential medical information required by clinicians in an urgent or emergency care situation to support the safe treatment of patients.

It contains medication, allergies and adverse reactions derived from the GP electronic patient record. Additional information can be added to the SCR at the request of, or with the explicit consent of the patient.

The information contained within a patient's SCR is a subset of the information held in their GP electronic patient record. Creating and maintaining data quality standards is something which GP practices,  PCTs and SHAs have been working together to achieve for many years.

Following the Ministerial Reviews in October 2010 where the scope of content and usage of Summary Care Records (SCR) were confirmed, the SCR Programme has reviewed the advice given to the NHS regarding how to establish that the information GP practices will share through the SCR is fit for sharing.

The updated guidance reinforces the responsibility that GP practices have to ensure that the clinical information they hold about patients is of the best possible quality to inform clinical care and reflects the professional regulatory guidance, statutory requirements and pan-professional guidance that underpin this responsibility.

It outlines the expected standard for information fit for sharing through SCR, the purpose of which is an information source to support urgent and emergency care.

This guidance does not replace any existing data quality initiatives in existence in the NHS in England; local schemes and work undertaken directly with GP practices will continue to contribute to raising the standard of data quality within GP practices and across the NHS in England.

The guidance should be used by GP practices and local SCR implementation teams to help them complete the SCR go-live checklist prior to participating in the SCR programme.

• Information fit for sharing through Summary Care Records (PDF, 52Kb).
• Information fit for sharing through Summary Care Records - Frequently Asked Questions.

Further Assistance

Please contact your SHA Interface Manager for further assistance and support in this area.