What Summary Care Records are

Summary Care Records (SCR) are an electronic record of important patient information, created from GP medical records. They can be seen and used by authorised staff in other areas of the health and care system involved in the patient's direct care.

Some SCRs contain Additional Information. This can include, for example, details of patients' long-term conditions, medical history, or communications needs.

To help the NHS respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Additional Information is now included by default for patients with an SCR, unless they have previously told the NHS that they did not want this information to be shared.

The Additional Information in a patient’s SCR helps health and care professionals to have better medical information about the patient they are treating.

Addition information may include:

• reason for medication
• significant medical history (past and present)
• significant procedures (past and present)
• anticipatory care information – such as information about the management of long-term conditions
• communication preferences – as in the DCB 1605 data set
• end of life care information – as in the SCCI 1580 dataset
• immunisations
• coronavirus (COVID-19) related information
• accessible information requirements
• carers' details
• lasting power of attorney
• information to help provide reasonable adjustments required under the Equality Act (2010)

GP practices can also manually add specific information, if the patient requests this.