Why do I need a Summary Care Record?

All patients registered with a GP have a Summary Care Record, unless they have chosen not to have one. The information held in your Summary Care Record gives health and care professionals, away from your usual GP practice, access to information to provide you with safer care, reduce the risk of prescribing errors and improve your patient experience.

Your Summary Care Record contains basic information about allergies and medications and any reactions that you have had to medication in the past.

Some patients, including many with long term health conditions, have previously agreed to have Additional Information shared as part of their Summary Care Record. This includes information about significant medical history (past and present), reasons for medications, care plan information and immunisations.

During the coronavirus pandemic period, your Summary Care Record will automatically have Additional Information included from your GP record unless you have previously told the NHS that you did not want this information to be shared.

There will also be a temporary change to include COVID-19 specific codes in relation to suspected, confirmed, Shielded Patient List and other COVID-19 related information within the Additional Information.

By including this Additional Information in your SCR, health and care staff can give you better care if you need health care away from your usual GP practice:

• in an emergency
• when you’re on holiday
• when your surgery is closed
• at out-patient clinics
• when you visit a pharmacy

Who can see it?

Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.

Do I have to have one?

No, it is not compulsory. If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it along to the surgery or email it to us. You can use the form below

SCR Opt out

For further information visit the NHS Digital website

As data controllers, GPs have fair processing responsibilities under the Data Protection Act and GDPR law 2018. This means ensuring that your personal confidential data (PCD) is handled in ways that are safe, transparent and what you would reasonably expect.

We need to hold personal information about you on our computer system and in paper records to help us to look after your health needs, and your doctor is responsible for their accuracy and safe keeping. Please help to keep your record up to date by informing us of any changes to your circumstances.

Doctors and staff in the practice have access to your medical records to enable them to do their jobs. From time to time information may be shared with others involved in your care if it is necessary. Anyone with access to your record is properly trained in confidentiality issues and is governed by both a legal and contractual duty to keep your details private.  This includes all personal information regarding gender history and HIV status.

All information about you is held securely and appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent accidental loss.

In some circumstances we may be required by law to release your details to statutory or other official bodies, for example if a court order is presented, or in the case of public health issues. In other circumstances you may be required to give written consent before information is released – such as for medical reports for insurance, solicitors etc.

To ensure your privacy, we will not disclose information over the telephone or fax unless we are sure that we are talking to you. Information will not be disclosed to family, friends, or spouses unless we have prior written consent, and we do not leave messages with others.

General Practice Data

The Acorn Surgery is one of many organisations working in the health and care system to improve care for patients and the public.

Whenever you use a health or care service, such as attending Accident & Emergency or using Community Care services, important information about you is collected in a patient record for that service. Collecting this information helps to ensure you get the best possible care and treatment. With your consent the information is shared between services to ensure a safe and effective service.

Patient Participation Group (PPG)

In line with the new GDPR regulations the PPG require consent to use your contact details to send you information advising you of PPG meeting dates, talks of interest dates and the Practice or PPG Newsletters.

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Related Documents

Click on the links below to read our privacy poster which summarises information on the GDPR and our Practice’s Privacy Notice to patients. Within the Privacy Notice, you will find our Subject Access Request Policy.

• Accessing Your Medical Records
• GDPR Privacy Notice (10/2025 – Updated)
• Privacy Poster
• Telephone Recording Policy

 

How to complain

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and directly with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be resolved in this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible – ideally within a matter of days or at most a few weeks – because this will enable us to establish what happened more easily. If it is not possible to do this, please let us have details of your complaint:

• Within 12 months of the incident that is the cause of the problem; or
• Within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of patient medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to be assured that you have his or her permission to do so. A note signed by the patient concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.

What you should do

Ask to speak to, email or make an appointment with the Practice Manager in order to discuss your concerns. She will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure your concerns are taken seriously and dealt with promptly.

If you wish to put your complaint in writing, address to: Victoria Pilkington, Practice Manager, Acorn Surgery, The Oak Tree Centre, 1 Oak Drive, Huntingdon, PE29 7HN.

Alternatively email victoriapilkington@nhs.net or  telephone 01480 483100.

It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.

If you wish to make a complaint about the Community Matron or Social Prescribing services, which are provided by Huntingdon PCN, please click to view their dedicated complaints procedure

Our Commitment to You

We shall generally acknowledge your complaint within three working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within the time scale agreed with you but under normal circumstances within 21 working days.  The time taken to investigate your complaint will depend on its complexity and the number of people involved. We shall then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting if that is more appropriate.

When we look into your complaint, we aim to:

• Find out what happened and what should have happened.
• Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned if this is your wish.
• Ensure the complaint is resolved to your satisfaction.
• Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
• Identify what needs to be done to ensure the problem does not arise again.

Our Principles Are:

• To get it right
• To be patient focussed
• To be open and accountable
• To act fairly and proportionately
• To put things right
• To listen and take issues seriously
• To seek continuous improvement

Complaining to NHS England

We hope that if you have a problem, you will use our Practice complaints procedure to ensure it is resolved. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our Practice.

This however does not affect your right to approach the contact the local integrated care board (ICB) direct if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us.

In this instance you should contact: Patient Experience Team for free via 0800 279 2535, or by emailing cpicb.pet@nhs.net

The team works Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. If you call our freephone number and receive our answerphone message, please leave your name and telephone number so the team can return your call.

You can find out more about making a complaint on their website: https://www.cpics.org.uk/patient-experience-team

If you feel your complaint has not been resolved by the ICB or the Practice, it can be referred to The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.  You may contact them instead of, or as well as, NHS England. All records will have to be provided to the Ombudsman to assist with the resolution of your complaint. www.ombudsman.org.uk 0345 015 4033 or phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk or The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP

FURTHER INFORMATION

For support and help regarding issues with NHS organisations, The Patient Experience Team (PET) provides:

• Advice and support to patients, their families and carers
• Information on NHS services
• Listens to concerns, suggestions or queries
• Help to sort out problems quickly.

In this instance you should contact: Patient Experience Team for free via 0800 279 2535, or by emailing cpicb.pet@nhs.net

The NHS Complaints Advocacy

For information and help in making a complaint you can contact POhWER who are the NHS Complaints advocacy service. www.pohwer.net Tel: 0300 456 2370, email: pohwer@powher.net, postal address: POhWER, NHS Complaints Advocacy, PO Box 14043, Birmingham B6 9BL.

Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), does not manage individual complaints about GPs and their services. However, you can find out more about making a complaint on their website: http://www.cqc.org.uk/contact-us

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

acornsurgery,
Oak Tree Centre,
Oak Drive,
Huntingdon,
PE29 7HN

TEL:  01480 483100

www.acornsurgery.com

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this Practice, please let us know. We operate a Practice complaints procedure as part of a NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria as laid down by the NHS.

Patient advice and liaison services (PALS)

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service, known as PALS, has been introduced to ensure that the NHS listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends, and answers their questions and resolves their concerns as quickly as possible.

PALS also helps the NHS to improve services by listening to what matters to patients and their loved ones and making changes, when appropriate.

Addenbrooke’s
Hills Road
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB2 0QQ
01223 216756
Email

CPFT – Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Elizabeth House
Fulbourn Hospital
Fulbourn
Cambridge
CB21 5EF
01223 219444
Email

Hinchingbrooke Hospital
Hinchingbrooke Park
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire
PE29 6NT
01480 428964
Email

Peterborough City Hospital AND Stamford & Rutland Hospital
01733 673405
Email

ZERO TOLERANCE TO INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR POLICY

Unfortunately some patients treat our staff inappropriately, including using harassment, foul language and intimidation towards them. Any abuse, physical, verbal or written, towards any member of our staff will not be tolerated. Patients who act in breach of the Surgery’s policy will be removed from the register and will have to find an alternative GP Practice elsewhere. The purpose of this policy is to address instances of unacceptable behaviour which may cause harm or the fear of harm to any person within the Practice. The scope of this Policy therefore includes instances of violence, abuse or aggression committed by any person, whether patient, visitor or any other person working within the Practice against any patient, visitor, or other person working within the Practice.

Inappropriate behaviours are defined as:

• Violence is the use of force against a person and has the same definition as ‘assault’ in law (i.e. an attempt, offer or application of force against the person). This would cover any person unlawfully touching any other person forcefully, spitting at another person, raising fists or feet or verbally threatening to strike or otherwise apply force to any person.
• Abuse is behaviour that is intended to gain power and control over another person, using abusive language, making rude, harsh and offensive remarks with the intent to hurt or undermine.
• Aggression is regarded as threatening or abusive language or gestures, sexual gestures or behaviour, derogatory sexual, racial, misogynistic, homophobic remarks, LGBTQ+ phobia, or homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. Shouting at any person, use of foul language or applying force to any Practice property or the personal property of any person on the Practice.  This would cover people banging on desks or counters or shouting loudly in an intimidating manner.

This Policy applies throughout the premises, including its car park and grounds. It also applies to any employee or Partner away from the Practice but only in so far as it relates to the business of the Practice.

This Practice operates a Zero Tolerance Policy

Any abuse, physical or verbal, including shouting, swearing or harassment of any kind towards a member of our staff will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Patients who act in breach of the Surgery’s Policy will be removed from our register and will have to find an alternative GP Practice elsewhere.

About Records Access

Using the NHS App on your phone or tablet or the NHS site on a computer you can view your medical records

The system allows you to view your medical record over the internet. It allows you to easily and quickly view the electronic medical information held about you by your GP Practice.

The information is presented to you in a format that is easy to navigate and offers you links to resources such as patient information leaflets about diseases, tests, investigations, support groups and medications etc.

What can I see on the system?

The system allows you to view the following areas of your medical record:

• A summary that gives you the most important and recent entries in your health record
• Consultations including: date, practitioner seen, reason for visit, history, examination, outcome, investigations, etc.
• Medical Record showing diagnoses, investigations, and procedures
• Allergies
• Patient Information Leaflets linked from the diagnoses in the medical record section
• Results showing all investigations such as blood results, liver tests, blood pressure etc.
• Vaccinations
• Medications
• Letters to and from the GP

Advantages to you, the patient:

• No queuing to get results
• You can check the accuracy of your medical record
• You are empowered to become more involved in your own medical care

REMEMBER – To protect your privacy, as with all password protected applications on the internet, logout of the system when you are finished.

Accessing your GP-held records via the NHS app or NHS website

Patient access to electronic health records – the steps taken to protect your privacy

You now have access to the ‘full’ record where you will be able to see everything, including the notes which have been written by doctors, nurses and others involved in your care, at the GP surgery, and elsewhere from November 2023.

It’s important to remember that these documents may, at times, contain information that could be upsetting, especially if they contain news of a serious condition. It can also be a cause for worry seeing results online when it isn’t clear what the results might mean, and no one is available to ask, as can be the case during the evening or at weekends, for example.

Sometimes people with a mental health condition might prefer not to see documents that remind them of difficult times in their life. Letters from mental health teams sometimes go into detail about past events, and great care would be needed in deciding whether you would want to see these letters. It is possible for individual items to be hidden at your request and we would be happy to talk about any concerns you may have.

Great care is also needed in case private details might cause harm at home, should people in a difficult or pressured relationship be forced to show their medical record to an abusive partner. Anyone in such a position should make this clear to us at the practice, so we can take steps to keep you safe. This might mean removing access through the NHS app for the time being, or through a careful process where we hide sensitive things. We would be happy to talk this through with you.

Maintaining Confidentiality

Passwords are very important when accessing personal information over the internet (from your bank, supermarket or General Practice) because systems on the web are built to discriminate very carefully when incorrect passwords are entered. Passwords should generally be case sensitive which means that not only is the correct order of letters, numbers and other characters is required but it is also essential also to use the correct upper and lower case letters.

If you do not want to have access to your records please complete this form

Important information

• The information you view on the online system comes from the clinical system in your GP practice. Portions of this information are encrypted (this means it is very difficult for someone else to intercept and read the information) and securely sent from the GP system to your App or PC web browser.
• None of the medical information that is shown on the online system is held permanently on any computer except the computer which holds the original data in the GP practice.
• When you log off from the online system or if a problem occurs with your computer, for instance a power failure, all your confidential medical information is cleared from your viewer.
• Using the online system does not allow any extra people to view your medical information other than the people who would normally have access to it in the GP practice.
• To view your online record you have to identify yourself with passwords. Unless you reveal this information to someone else you will be the only person able to access your medical record via the online system.
• If you find any errors or missing information in your medical record you can tell the receptionist or discuss it with your GP. If you see someone else’s medical information you should immediately exit from the system and inform the practice staff.
• Passwords are all case sensitive. Please remember there is a difference between O (letter O) and 0 (zero). If others have access to your passwords then the system is not secure
• No address / NHS or National Insurance numbers are visible on your viewer.
• No matter what you do or click you can’t alter or delete your records!

Information about the General Practioners and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.

The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation.

Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:

• To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
• To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
• When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.

If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.

Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.