According to reports, the new system, known as the NHS Care Records Service, will enable patients to control access to their medical records by blocking off an attempt to share the information. GPs and NHS staff will only be allowed to access the information if it becomes beneficial to the treatment of the patient. They will also need smart cards and passwords to gain entry to confidential information.
Patients can also control the data provided in the electronic records. It is being reported that they can choose not to be included on the new database if they do not wish their medical details to be shared, although they are being warned that this may lead to a lower quality of care in the case of an emergency since their information will not be readily accessible.
It may also be possible for patients to hide sensitive medical events on the system, which can only be opened in an emergency, and to request an alteration or removal of any information they do not wish others to see.
The pledges form part of the NHS Care Records Guarantee, which was announced to the media earlier this week to address the security concerns about the new database. Other so-called pledges include an audit trail that records details of who has accessed personal medical records and an alert system that automatically warns NHS trusts of any unauthorized attempts to access information.
