to think that this NHS letter could have waited until after christmas?

[nickelbabe]

DH is a postman.
Today, they all had letters from the NHS to deliver- most houses got at least one (addressed to many different members of the family)

The letter, (DH got one, I didn't) DH has just opened and it's a letter from the NHS saying that they're now doing a thing called patient summary care, which means that all of your allergies/health problems/etc are kept in one summary record so that they can find out information about your health quickly.

It's 3 weeks before Christmas - this circular letter made up about half of their workload today.
On top of this letter, they had their normal mail, plus all the packets and stuff that are being sent for Christmas.

There's no deadline to this letter, there's nothing in the letter to suggest they've sent them out before the winter sets in.

DH is scheduled to finish work at 7 minutes past 2. He actually finished at about 1/4 to 4 today, mainly because of this letter. (he didn't even get out of the office to his delivery until 11o'clock because of how much time it added to the sorting process)

and because the law states that they have to deliver all addressed mail as soon as practicable, it wasn't something that could be left until later.

So, AIBU? Should the NHS have waited until after christmas to send this non-urgent letter?

These letters have been rolled out in different areas for months. Just coincidence that it's your DH's area that landed with them going out in December.

To make it clear though - it's not 'all of your medical record being available to anyone who works for the NHS'.

It is:
a list of any medication prescribed in the past 18 months (but not the reason why);
a list of any medication that gives you an adverse reaction; and
a list of any allergies

This info is only available to:
Hospital emergency depts
Out of hours GP care
NHS Walk in centres

Even then they will only look at the SCR if you agree - unless you are unconscious of course. There is no obligation to agree to this - in with the letter is an opt out form that you just need to complete and hand in to your GP surgery.

TBH lets look at it realistically - the economy is shot to buggery - if your P doesnt like his job inconveniening him, there are a few million more who wouldl absolutely love to be inconvenienced by going to work every day.

Posties get it easy really. Reasonably money, pension, holidays for what it little more than sorting bits of paper into pigeon holes, then strolling and shoving it through letter boxes.

However it's not your P is it? it's you thats got the arse because he's had to work less than 2 hours extra meet deadlines. Welcome to the real world.

OK, have now read up on this.

Step 1. Upload of demographic data (name, address, telephone number, etc)
Step 2. Upload of Core data (what Tidybush lists)
Step 3. Enrichment/enhancement by addition of further data from your GP record and other sources. This may include the list below.

"? Allergies and Adverse Reactions
? Repeat Medications
? Acute Medications
? Discontinued Repeat Medication
? Risks to Care professional or Third Party
? Diagnoses
? Problems and issues
? Clinical Observation and Findings
? Treatments
? Investigations
? Provision of Advice and Information to Patients and Carers
? Personal Preferences
? Social and Personal Circumstances
? Services and Care Professionals and Carers
? Lifestyle
? Family History

"In addition, when you attend a hospital, specialist clinic or out-of-hours surgery or clinic, details of your attendance can be uploaded to your Summary Care Record. This is termed "SCR Release 2 information", and can be uploaded in addition to your GP Summary.

"The data that can be included from sources other than your GP practice include:

"? Accident and Emergency department discharge summaries
? Inpatient discharge summaries
? Outpatient clinic summaries
? Out of Hours encounters
? Health and Social Care Common Assessment Framework Plans
? Ambulance and paramedic attendance reports"
(All from site by GP mentioned above.)

Sorry, nickel, would you like your thread back?

Anything other than the core data I've listed will only be added to with the explicit consent of the patient - latest guidelines for GP surgeries is here

Tianc - you're doign beautifully, don't let me stop you!

Spenguin - after christmas would be perfect- you wouldn't believe the amount of crap they have to do in January to make time (lapsing etc)
and there's never any overtime offered.

Oh Nickelbabe, the irony of your DH having to deliver NHS letters when the NHS is about to deliver your baby I think that if this issue is making you that mad, you'll be delivering something quite soon too!! Good luck with it all!

Thanks, Tidybush, the explicit consent looks like an improvement on what was being proposed in the early days. It's a few years since I was genned up on this stuff.

And the opt-out form is another improvement ? originally people were having to individually write their own letters to their GPs (verbal opt-out not sufficient).

Another website covering the issues. I hadn't seen this site before, but it does indeed mention the proposal to sell anonymised-ish Spine data to pharmaceutical companies (Feb 2007), so I didn't dream that.

I got that letter in mid 2010. It seems it varies by area when it comes out. So your compliant that they're targeting mailings during a very busy period is kind of blown out of the water. There's apparently no urgency if you've received it 18 months after me.