Notes of The Smithy Surgery PPG Meeting
30th July 2015 5.30pm @The Smithy Surgery
Attendees: David Collins, Mai Spencer, Mary Fitton, Pat Ralls, Sharon France, Kay Phillips,
Barrie Adams, Mary Jessop, Sharon Battersby, Frederica Lucivero (observer –Dr. Frederica L. is from
King’s College London working on an EU project on patient access to health care records) )
Apologies: Jan Wright, Pat Castle, Jeff Barlow,
Patient Online Access to Medical Records : Ingrid Brindle
Ingrid is an active member of Thornley House Medical Centre Patient Group. She also does national
work with NHS England on patient records.
Ingrid gave a very informative talk on how having online access to her medical records has helped her to
manage her own health.
Thornley House has allowed patients to online access their own medical records since 2006. Patients
can access their medical record from home or abroad via a pc, laptop, tablet or mobile. Access requires
2 passwords that can be changed whenever necessary. It is also necessary to confirm that you, as a
patient, have an understanding of the responsibilities attached to online access
Why online access is a good idea:
Having online access to her own records has been really successful for Ingrid. It has made a great deal of
difference to how she manages her health. However, Ingrid noted that this type of access is not
everyone’s choice. There is no compulsion to access your own record. For those who chose not to or
can’t use online services, it is essential that the GP surgery provides an equivalent service in other ways.
What online access provides:
 A record of your consultations with your GP
 Test results; blood tests and other results such as x rays and scans
 All letters from hospital consultations and other sources eg social services
 All information sent to outside agencies by your GP eg referrals to hospital
 A list of your medication
 A summary of all your significant health problems over the years eg when you have had certain
problems and why. This is useful when applying for benefits or filling out insurance forms.
 A link to NHS Choices which is a website explaining medical terms you may not understand
What benefits this has for you and your GP
 You can look at your test results and the comment made about them by your GP. If you have a
query about such results there is a link in your record to a website which gives information
about particular tests. This means you do not have to ring the GP for your results unless you
have a specific query. You can print out your test results and take them to hospital
appointments – this may save a repeat test at the hospital
 You can look at leisure at the information about your consultation. Sometimes it is difficult to
retain all the information given to you in a consultation. You can check what you were told. You
can also share this with specific family members if you wish to do so (other people can only
access your record if you give them your password)
o eg at Thornley House 30% of the Bengali patients have signed up for online
record access and they can enlist family help if they have language difficulties
with their consultation
o Children living abroad can keep an eye on a parents health (with, of course, the
parents consent
o Carers at Nursing Homes can have access to a patients notes (again with patient
consent or from the patient’s children with power of attorney
 You can access your information abroad. If you need to go to hospital or see a GP you can
show them your record or print off relevant information (and translate using Google
Translate if necessary)
 You can spot any mistakes that may have been made in your records and discuss these with
the surgery.
Present and Future Developments
 Offcom states that 70% of people have a mobile phone that could provide access to online
medical records
 Access to your medical record can be through an App on your phone
 Information from your medical record can be added to an App called ICE (in case of
emergency) on your phone
 It would be ideal if information about you as a patient from hospitals, other services such as
chiropody etc, general practice and social care could be joined together in one patient hub,
accessible online
 Ingrid had attended a conference about District Nursing in a Digital Age. Nurses would be
very happy to have a whole picture of a patient through a “joined up” medical record
Questions and Answers
 Barrie wondered if the online medical record had improved since 2006.
 Yes – it is easier to access and has an improved view. Graphs have been added for
comparison of test results.
 Pat asked if the GP would have to write the notes in a different or more time consuming
way if the patient was to have online access
 Kay noted that the GP has to make sure that the essence of a consultation is
captured in the notes. Third party data (reference to people other than the
patient) has to be noted in a specific way. The notes need to be written clearly
but medical terminology is used to describe diagnosis
 Ingrid noted that the NHS choices facility within online access would enable the
patient to look up medical terms which they did not recognise
 Mai wondered whether some patients might find the record difficult to understand.
 There was a debate about the ability of patient understanding
 Sharon B, from her experience of working in the hospital labs, noted that patients would
not understand their blood test results fully and that this might cause extra work for the
GPs
 Ingrid said that within the online system there is access to explanations about
blood tests. GPs also comment on blood results and although a result might be
marked as abnormal the GP might note that it is “normal for this patient”.
 Ingrid noted that patients having access to their results may prevent worry and
concern about what is happening with their health
 Sharon F was concerned that patients accessing their records online would cause extra
work for a small administrative staff.
 Ingrid replied that some extra work would be needed. Mary F, from her
experience in General Practice, noted that there would not be a huge initial rush
of patients applying for online access to records
 Ingrid noted that eventually, once patients are used to looking up results etc in
their records, this will save time for surgery staff as less telephone calls and
appointments will be requested
 Kay was concerned about family members having access to records that might influence
the treatment of the patient. She gave the example of an elderly patient who would be
treated in one way by the GP but whose treatment may be altered/moderated by the
intervention of a family member
 There was a discussion about the autonomy of patients and their decision to
allow others to have access to their medical record
 Kay has been shown the Thornley House website by Dr. Hannan and wondered whether
the Smithy might have to tailor its website to include information about medical
terminology, conditions etc.
 Ingrid noted that although the Thornley House website did this it was not
necessary for any other surgery to do this as information is readily available
within the online record
 David noted that he is quite happy with ringing the surgery whenever he needs
information
 Mary J thought that, as in Ingrid’s case, patients might be better able to manage their
own health through online record access
 Mary F noted that if online access had been available she would not have needed to ring
the surgery on 3 occasions or have one appointment with a GP. This would have saved
time for the surgery
It was noted during discussion that access to the online record can be opened partially or fully. At the
moment it is statute that patients have online access to medications and allergies. The surgery can
decide to open various aspects of the record eg summary of past medical history, test results,
consultation. The surgery can also decide from which point to open access to the record – ie all of the
past computerised record or from the current date only.
Perhaps a pilot of record access by members of the PPG could be considered by the partners.
Action: Agenda for Aug meeting
Mai thanked Ingrid for her talk.
---------------------------------------------There was limited time for other business and items to be deferred to the next meeting
Minutes of the June Meeting and Matters Arising
Accepted
GP and Practice Update
 July has not been as busy as previous months.
 The advert for the new GP has been published in “Pulse”and “GP”. Closing date is the end of
August. One application has been received so far
 Receptionist Gemma has had a little girl
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Receptionist Lynne is retiring
Practice Manager Wendy is still away from work
Health Care Assistant Lynne has achieved her NVQ level 3 and will now be able to give flu jabs
and B12 injections
All GPs will be taking leave in August
Patient Survey
A full survey will be done in 2016. Kay had discussed a possible survey with the partners. Suggestions
were revisiting changes made after the last survey ie confidentiality at reception. Other suggestions
were surveying interest in the PPG and online access to records
Action: Agenda date of 2016 survey and topic of 2015 survey for next meeting
Patient Welcome Pack
The partners had edited Jan’s practice information sheet. They agreed the amended version can be
produced in an A5 format for the welcome pack
Action: Mary F to contact Jan about producing an A5 version for the August PPG. Mary F and Mary J
to liaise with Jan
Next Meeting Thursday August 27th 5.30pm@Smithy Surgery