About NHS electronic records

Over the next few years, the NHS will be creating an electronic patient record for almost every patient in England and Scotland. The records will contain key pieces of information about a patient and be accessible to medical staff across a wide area. The system is intended to make treatment safer, quicker and cheaper by making sure that every doctor and nurse has instant access to all the information they need about the patients they are treating.
 
Electronic patient records have the potential to do far more than just improve care. By giving patients access to their own records online, they can give patients real power over their own care. In the future, patients may be able to check the accuracy of their notes, add information and even alter their own treatments. The information contained in electronic patient records also promise to transform medical research. With access to more patient data than ever before, researchers will be able to identify changes in public health and gain new insights into the causes of disease.
 
But realising all these benefits means sharing much more of our personal information with more people. How do we safeguard our privacy? How do we protect vulnerable people? How do we ensure that the system won’t break down?

How you can have your say

Who Sees What? is a straightforward discussion card game that gives a chance for patients and members of the public to have their say about Electronic Patient Records. The game is for 4–8 people and takes about 60-90 minutes. You don’t need any prior knowledge to play – all the key information is on the cards. Players decide what are the most important issues, and vote on how they think the system should work. At the end of the game, players’ votes will be sent back to the project team where they will contribute to a set of recommendations for government.

The project is a collaboration between the Centre for Science Education at Sheffield Hallam University and the New Economics Foundation (an independent think and do tank). It is funded by the Wellcome Trust.

Click here to read more about this project