Public Information Booklet

Creating a safe environment for your personal medical information

This section explains more about the Wirral electronic health record
The Electronic Health Record has been developed as a way of storing your medical information electronically, which will enable doctors and other health professionals to access up to date information about you.

Why do we need an electronic health record?
Under the present system, your GP can only see the information on your GP record and hospitals can only access what is in theirs. If you have an accident and have to go to hospital, the healthcare staff at the hospital cannot see any information contained in your GP records. You may not be in a position to remember information that may make the difference between prompt care and delayed care.

What information does it contain?
The Electronic Health Record stores different types of information such as

• Your name, your date of birth and where you live.
• Your GP and GPs address
• A list of what operations you may have had and any Out Patient appointments that are due.
• Details of any conditions you may have, along with any medications you may have been prescribed.
• You may be allergic to certain drugs this too will be recorded.

Who will be using my Electronic Health Record?
At the moment Doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff have access to your medical records, these same people will have access to your Electronic Health Record. This will make it easier to co-ordinate your care to ensure it exactly meets your needs.

How will this benefit me as a patient?

• Your care will be improved by accessing information at various stages of your treatment.
• In an emergency doctors can access vital information about you.
• It will be easier and faster for the doctor to decide on the best treatment for you because he will have more information at his fingertips.
• Long term care will be improve d, especially in the area of cancer.
• Other special clinical data will improve care in diabetes, coronary heart care and many other diseases.

The future
As part of the government's modernisation of the NHS service, different communities throughout the country are trying out new ways of providing better healthcare. It will involve a continual development of a record of all visits to your GP and hospital. If this scheme works it will be made available throughout the UK. If you would like further information about the EHR you can visit our website at www.wirralhealth.org.uk/ehr