‘Give access to social care records’ – National Information Governance Board

The National Information Governance Board has instructed all local authorities to provide patients with secure, online access to social care records.

Publishing the Social Care Record Guarantee, it said councils must provide a similar service to the NHS’s plan to put primary healthcare records online. But records must hide material that “might be considered to cause you serious harm or distress”, as well as confidential information about other people.

The guarantee said councils will use records on patients “in ways that respect your rights and promote your health and well being”. It also covered good practice, saying care providers should discuss and agree what they plan to record; give patients copies of letters and documents; show patients what they have recorded; ask permission to share data; and inform patients when and with whom their data has been shared.

“Sharing information between health and social care is key to achieving better outcomes for people who use services and the delivery of seamless care,” said David Behan, the government’s director general of social care. “The purpose of the guarantee is to explain as simply as possible how local authorities should be handling personal information. I ask every director of social care to ensure that their organisations are upholding the commitments in the guarantee and to make people who use services aware of it.”

The guarantee, which will be reviewed and updated annually, is supported by the Association of Directors of Adult Services, the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, the Local Government Association, the UK Council of Caldicott Guardians, Cafcass, the Information Commissioner’s Office, 11 Million (previously known as the Children’s Commissioner) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

The governance board is an independent body advising the Health Secretary.