What will happen in the future?
- Instead of creating a single electronic record for every patient, containing all their health information, the NHS in Scotland plans to link up the computer systems that are already in use.
- Information will be stored in different computer systems (for example GP, hospital, x-ray department) but health professionals will be able to connect to them and see the information they need.
- They will only be able to look at the information they need to care for you.
- Health professionals will be able to find your information more quickly and easily than by looking at paper records.
What else might change?
- You will be able to choose to have more information in your Emergency Care Summary.
- If you agree, NHS staff may be allowed to look at your Emergency Care Summary in non-emergencies, for example when you have a planned stay in hospital.
- You may be able to do things online like:
- look at parts of your health record
- make appointments
- order repeat prescriptions
- record and track blood pressure, or
- check test results.
- Most personal health information will be held in electronic not paper files
Page last edited: 30 March 2011