Message from Chief Executive Michael Wright on Accelerated Access to GP-Held Patient Records

01 November 2022

You may have seen in Pulse today that the government are committed to continue with plans to give accelerated patient online access to records. You will no doubt want to know what happens next and feel unsure of what you should be doing. I have today spoken with the Chair of GPC (BMA) Dr Farah Jameel directly and helpfully she reassured us that our advice still stands.

We are told that the system suppliers have not activated online access today but there is a clear expectation that by the end of November this will be switched on. We are not alone in being concerned about the clinical safety of a mass switch on of online access and our responsibilities are to the roles of general practices as data controllers within GDPR, less an issue of GP contracting. If you feel that it is unsafe to allow switch on of access you still have the same three options that we outlined yesterday, we feel that you can protect your patients by adding the bulk coding to all patients, and doing so is still possible even though we are past the deadline of 31 October.

1. Write to your system supplier (the Data Processor) before 31 October 2022 using its preferred contact email address ( recordaccess@tpp-uk.com for TPP (SystmOne) practices and aapostpone@emishealth.com for EMIS practices) requesting, as Data Controller, that automatic access not be switched on.

2. Run a focused search and subsequently apply batch exemption coding to those patients identified through the search using SNOMED code 1364731000000104 (“Enhanced review indicated before granting access to own health record”).

3. Apply batch exemption coding for the full practice list using SNOMED code 1364731000000104 (“Enhanced review indicated before granting access to own health record”). Note: this will not revoke access to patients who already have online access but it will prevent any of those patients getting prospective (future) full record access if they do not already have it.

Remember that your duty is to your patients and their safety as data controllers, we are supportive of whatever decision you make but advise you to take action if you haven’t already done so unless you are happy with the mass switch on. We anticipate GPC updating their position imminently. Applying the bulk codes is a way of taking control regardless of what the system suppliers do.