In the event that the GP system and/or HSCN (NHS network) experiences an outage, it is imporant that clinicians can continue to access patient information to support safe and effective care.

The Summary Care Record (SCR) provides suitable clinicians with access to a series of important information for 95% of those registered with a GP and can be accessed without using your primary GP system (TPP SystmOne/Optum EMIS Web) using the National Care Records Service (NCRS).

What must the surgery do?

Ensure that suitable governance is in place to support access. This will vary per surgery; but we recommend as a starting point that all services ensure:

1. Surgery SCR Privacy Officers are still routinely viewing alerts and routinely reporting and validating SCR access.
2. Ensure the NHS Spine Portal is available/bookmarked through central processes/menus/policies so staff can reach applications.
3. Consider if you will change how data is processed/held. - For example: NCRS can be accessed on most web-capable devices; if there is an intent for surgery staff to use equipment uncontrolled by existing goverance and technical policy (such as personal mobiles, tablets, laptops etc) then it is likely this will need to be raised with your Data Protection Officer (DPO).

Read more:

• Information Governance for Summary Care Records
• Permission to View Guidance

What do individuals need to do?

Note: Staff should not access SCR until the surgery ensures its governance processes are in place.

1. Self-register a non-smartcard authenticator
2. Test non-smartcard authenticators on NCRS
3. Familiarise themeslves with how to use NCRS

For details, see article: Access SCR without a smartcard

Related information:

https://digital.nhs.uk/services/summary-care-records-scr/viewing-summary-care-records-scr