NEWS Public support of ‘read and write access’
Focus groups held in Scotland have shown that patients support Pharmacist access to full patient records where patients themselves choose, and explicitly consent to, who may access the information.
The news comes as a new campaign has been launched for Pharmacists to have ‘read and write’ access to health records when consulting patients and dispensing medicines.
The campaign is calling for Pharmacists to have secure, electronic access to a single up-to-date patient record to enable the delivery of safer, more effective, high quality care. The move would improve medicine use, keep patients and health professionals better informed and provide more holistic patient care.
The NHS in England has already announced a programme to roll out Summary Care Record access to community pharmacies across England, after pilots showed this level of access reduced unnecessary visits to
the GP and avoidable medicine errors.
Robust governance will ensure records are accessed by Pharmacists together with other relevant health professionals only when there is a clinical need and only with the consent of the patient.
Where technology allows, some electronic health records are already shared between GPs, some staff in hospitals and some emergency services. Pharmacist access to this record would allow better working between pharmacists and GPs and hospital consultants when treating patients.
With the ability to also update health records, Pharmacists could provide GPs with dispensing updates and add information when patients transfer from one care setting to another, for example a hospital admission.
Chair of the Scottish Pharmacy Board Dr John McAnaw says, “As members of the health and social care teams
across Scotland, pharmacists play a key role in delivering pharmaceutical care to patients and the public. With the emergence of community health hubs in the near future, and a drive for more pharmacist prescribers in our communities, the time has come for pharmacists to have direct access to the patient record.
“With an ageing population resulting in greater use of medicines across a growing range of conditions, access to the patient record will enable pharmacists to do more for a larger number of patients in our communities at the point of care than at present.
It will also
minimise the number of occasions where pharmacists will have to make decisions around medicines with only minimal information, which can be a particular problem at weekends and public holidays. Access to the patient record will clearly help reduce risks to patient safety whilst also improving patient outcomes from the use of medicines.”
Dr John McAnaw, Chair, Scottish Pharmacy Board
“I believe access to the patient record will be a key enabler for the pharmacy profession and increase their contribution to patient care further, and I look forward to working constructively with our stakeholders to make it happen.”
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