1. Appoint an SCR Governance Person (SGP), (formerly known as a privacy officer)
Every organisation needs to appoint at least one member of staff to be the SGP. We recommend a minimum of two people are appointed.
2. Implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) covering SCR use and SGP monitoring tasks
Things to consider:
Information and clinical governance
SCR must only be used for providing direct clinical care. Access in any other scenario would be in breach of the Data Protection Act and pharmacy professional codes, which could result in the application of any associated penalties.
Appropriate governance procedures must be in place to assure appropriate access to SCR.
The site must determine and document its approach for ensuring SCR is accessed appropriately, such as updating the Information Governance policy or Standard Operating Procedures.
Business change
The decision on whether to access SCR must be made on a case by case basis, based on the patient’s needs at that time, with the pharmacist or pharmacy technician applying their clinical judgement.
Induction procedures for new members of staff will cover SCR access and include appropriate training.
Patient/Subject Access Requests
The pharmacy contractor and site must be capable of responding appropriately and correctly to any Subject Access Requests or requests associated with the NHS Care Record Guarantee relating to SCR access.
All other SOPs impacted by SCR, such as Flu Vaccination, MURs should be updated at the next opportunity. Download a sample SOP for SCR use document template
3. Check SCR works with your system
(a) Test access to SCR
Once the SCR Role Based Access Codes (RBACs) have been added to your users' smartcards, test access to the spine portal (which provides access to SCR) at each computer. Add the url to the desktop or favourites to make access easier. Then use a test NHS patient number, such as 9990252955, to check everything is working correctly. You can find more test patient numbers below:
- 999 040 2132
- 999 025 2947
- 999 025 2955
- 999 024 3271
- 999 024 0272
(b) Check technical requirements
To use SCR, your system needs to be compliant with the NHS standard system settings, specified in the Warranted Environment Specification This is probably already the case. You, your IT support, or your system supplier can check this. System suppliers should be familiar with the WES and can help to ensure that NHS and other key software can continue to run alongside each other.
(c) Troubleshooting technical requirements
If you are using older versions of software, the system might not be fully compliant. If your system supplier, or a software provider, recommends using settings outside of the WES, you may want to discuss with them whether adjustments can be made so that all your hardware, systems, and software can comply with the WES. Technical issues should be forwarded to your pharmacy system supplier helpdesk.
4. SGP - start routine monitoring of SCR access
Read more on the role of the SGP.