What is a Summary Care Record (SCR)
A Summary Care Record, known as an SCR, is an electronic record created from a patient’s GP medical records in England. It contains essential health information that helps healthcare professionals make safe and informed clinical decisions.
An SCR typically includes:
Current medications
Allergies
Adverse reactions
Key medical conditions
It does not contain a patient’s full medical history.
Why do we request access to the SCR
Access to the SCR allows our clinical team to prescribe treatments safely and in line with NHS safety standards. It supports faster and more accurate clinical decisions, particularly when additional confirmation is needed to ensure a treatment is appropriate.
Requesting SCR access helps us:
Verify that a prescribed treatment is clinically suitable
Check for potential risks such as allergies or interactions
Maintain patient safety and regulatory compliance
When the SCR is accessed
The SCR is not accessed routinely for every patient. It is only viewed when clinicians need further information to confirm that treatment is safe and appropriate.
Access is:
Limited to authorised, registered healthcare professionals
Restricted to the duration of the patient’s care with us
Used only when clinically necessary
Data protection and patient privacy
We do not store a patient’s Summary Care Record on our systems. It can only be viewed securely by the clinicians responsible for the patient’s care.
Patient consent and opt-out
Patients must give consent for us to access their SCR in order to continue using our service. If a patient changes their mind, they can opt out at any time by contacting customer services.
How patients give consent for SCR access
Patients are asked to give consent for SCR access at the point of placing an order. This is done by ticking a consent box during the ordering process. Providing consent at this stage allows our clinical team to access the SCR if needed to ensure the treatment is safe and appropriate.
If a patient does not provide consent while placing their order, they can still give consent later by sending written confirmation via email. Once written consent is received, the pharmacy team will take over and arrange the necessary steps to support the clinical review.
When patients do not have an SCR
To ensure safe prescribing for patients who do not have a Summary Care Record (SCR), particularly those from devolved nations such as Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, the clinical team may request that a video consultation is booked. This supports the clinical team with decision-making in cases where there may be uncertainty due to the absence of an SCR.
The clinical team will share a Calendly booking link directly with the patient, along with instructions on how to proceed with the booking. The appointment lasts approximately 15 minutes and takes place via Google Meet. Once booked, the patient will receive a confirmation, and the meeting will appear in their Google Calendar.
If the patient experiences any issues with the booking link, this can be forwarded to the clinical team for further investigation.