Understanding how your health information is shared across the NHS is essential to feeling confident and in control of your care. The NHS uses a number of secure digital tools to ensure that the right professionals can access the right information at the right time — whether you are visiting your GP, attending hospital, or receiving support from community or social care services. These tools help improve safety, reduce delays, and support more joined‑up care.

At the same time, you have clear choices about how your information is used. National and local opt‑out options allow you to decide whether your data can be used for research, planning, or shared beyond your direct care. This page explains how each data‑sharing tool works, what information is included, who can access it, and the options available if you prefer to limit how your data is shared. Our aim is to give you the clarity you need to make informed decisions about your health information.

Summary Care Record  (SCR)

The Summary Care Record is a national electronic record containing key clinical information from your GP record. This electronic record contains core information such as current medications, allergies, and details of any previous bad reactions to medicines. Additional Information (SCRai) includes significant medical history, care plans, immunisations, test results, end of life preferences, reasonable adjustments and more, if this has been enabled in your record (this does not include consultations). 

This information can be accessed by authorised health and care professionals providing direct patient care such as A&E or 111. These services having access to your SCR ensures that clinicians have vital healthcare information which can reduce prescribing errors and improve patient safety.

If you are registered with a GP practice in England you will already have a Summary Care Record (SCR), unless you have previously chosen not to have one. If you choose to change your preferences, please click on the link below to download the form. Once completed, please returned to Three Chequers Medical Practice, c/o the Patient Services Coordinators.

You are free to change your decision at any time by informing the practice. 

SCR patient preference form

GP Connect

GP Connect is a national service that allows authorised clinicians to view and share real-time GP record information across diferent NHS systems. GP connect helps to support safer clinical decision making, improve continuity of care for patients being treated in other care settings and reduce delays in receiving treatment. 

Authorised healthcare organisations that have access to GP Connect can view your whole record and add information as well as share between approved clinical systems. 

For more information about how  GP Connect uses your data, please download our patient privacy notice which can be found on our policies page.

Integrated Care Record (ICR)

The Integrated Care Record is a local shared record that brings together information from multiple health and social care organisations. The ICR combines data from GP practices, hospitals, community health services, mental health services, social care and some ambulance services. The purpose of this platform is to provide a holistic and multi-agency view of your whole health and care history which will support coordinated approach across the NHS and social care. This should lead to a reduction in duplication, repeated tests and gaps in communication. 

Only authorised healthcare professionals involved in your direct care can access the ICR. For more information about how the ICR uses your data, please download our patient privacy notice which can be found on our policies page. 

Data Opt-outs

The NHS uses information about patients (patient data) to research, plan and improve. Data is held about you by your GP practice, hospitals and other healthcare providers, NHS England collects this data.

NHS England shares this data with researchers from organisations such as universities or hospitals to help with research and planning to improve services. All data that is collected and shared is protected by strict rules around privacy, confidentiality and security.  NHS England will never sell patients data or share it with insurance or merketing companies. 

The NHS has two different types of data-sharing opt-outs, choosing to opt out of either types will not affect your care, referrals, prescriptions or test results.

Type 1 Opt-out

Opting out of Type-1 data sharing prevents your GP practice from sharing your GP medical record for purposes other than your direct care ie research, planning etc. This only applies to GP-held data and must be set by your GP practice. To find out more about how to opt out of sharing your GP health records or download the opt-out form, please click below:

Type 1 Opt-out

Once completed, please return to Three Chequers Medical Practice, c/o the Patient Services Coordinators.

National Data Opt-out (the replacement for Type 2 - Opt-out)

The National Data Opt-out allows you to opt-out of sharing your confidential, identifiable NHS data that is being used for research and planning. This applies to all NHS organisations, not just your GP held records. To find out more about how to opt out of sharing your health record across the whole health and care system or to opt out online, please click below:

National Data Opt-out