Shared care records, are a local solution based on geography for sharing important and up-to-date information about patients’ health and care.  This includes current health issues, medications, recent test results, care plan or treatment plan details, and information on social care or support needs. The information can be from primary care, community services, mental health services, social care, secondary care, and specialist services such as ambulance services, cancer services, etc. and can also contain documents such as outpatient department (OPD) letters, discharge summaries etc.

The aim of shared care records is to help local organisations move from today’s position, where each health and care organisation holds separate records for the individuals they care for, to one where an individual’s record is shared across the health and care system. This will help health and care professionals to use information safely and securely as the people they care for move between different parts of the NHS and social care. It will also enable patients and service users to access their record irrespective of where they receive care.

The exemplar areas are:

• OneLondon
• Yorkshire and Humber
• Thames Valley and Surrey
• Greater Manchester
• Wessex