Please note: You can also download a copy of this information leaflet at the bottom of this page or view our full list of information leaflets.

What is an Electronic Patient Record? (EPR)

You will have a personal electronic patient record (EPR) in all the places you receive health care.

Your electronic patient record will include important information about you and your health, including medical history, medication, allergies, test results, x-ray results and more.

St Barnabas uses a clinical patient record system called SystmOne to securely hold your electronic patient record. SystmOne is used by many healthcare services across the NHS, including GP surgeries, Community Nursing teams, Out of Hours Services and many others.

Sharing your Electronic Patient Record

It is possible for entries made in your electronic patient record to be shared with healthcare services who are involved in your care. This cannot normally happen without your permission.

Why share your Electronic Patient Record?

Doctors and nurses at different healthcare services do not easily know what others are doing for you. This may create delays in your care. By knowing your full medical history professionals can make quicker, safer and more accurate decisions about your care.

How does sharing work?

There are two parts to this:

Entries made into your electronic patient record here can be viewed by those healthcare services involved in your care such as your GP and district nursing teams.

Entries made by other healthcare services such as your GP can also be viewed by clinical staff here.

How do I record consent?

When you are seen by staff from St Barnabas you will be asked for permission to share information from your electronic patient record.

There are two parts to this:

1. Do you consent to the information recorded about you here being made available to other care services that may care for you and also use SystmOne?

If you answer YES – Health professionals at other care services using SystmOne will be able to see the information recorded at St Barnabas. E.g. your GP would be able to see any care given.

If you answer NO – No information recorded at St Barnabas will be shared with any other care service.

2. Do you consent to St Barnabas viewing information about you that has been recorded at other care services?

If you answer YES – St Barnabas will be able to view information recorded about you by other healthcare services using SystmOne. E.g. we will be able to see which medication your GP has prescribed you.

(You must have given consent to those other healthcare services to share out the information they hold about you)

If you answer NO – We will not be able to view any information recorded about you at any other health care service.

Can I change my mind later?

Yes, just let the service know of your preferences.

Can I ask for specific things in my record not to be shared?

Yes, you can ask for individual entries in your record to be marked as private and then the information will not be visible to anyone anywhere else.

Will my record always be shared?

No. When you stop being a patient at a particular service they will only be able to see the information that they have collected about you. They will not have any access to new information.

Health professionals and staff working within healthcare services are legally bound to comply with codes of practice for confidentiality, Information Security and the Data Protection Act (1998) and can only access your information if they have a legitimate reason to do this.

Further information

For further information about Data Protection please refer to the leaflet:

Data protection and how it affects you (the patient)