NHS Summary Care Records
One of the many things that came through my front door recently was this leaflet from the NHS about Summary Care Records – all 12 pages of it (you can download the whole pdf here).
Having, as requested, ‘taken time to read this leaflet’ I realised most of it was unnecessary
Here’s the condensed version:
Here’s the full text for anyone who wants it:
We are creating new Summary Care Records. These records will hold important information about your medical conditions and medical history.
How are these different to my normal medical records?
Unlike the records at your GP’s surgery, your Summary Care Record will be available by any part of the NHS that has to treat you.
Normally we will ask permission to look at your record, but if it is an emergency we will refer to this record so we can help you as quickly as possible.
If you are happy for us to create a Summary Care for you, you don’t need to do anything. Your record will be created shortly.
If you change your mind in future, we can hide your record.
If you don’t want your Summary Care Record to be created, you will need to complete a Summary Care Records opt-out form. You can get this from your GP, or download it from www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk/options
If you change your mind in the future, we can create a record for you.
Confidentiality
We will treat all the information in your Summary Care Record with the same confidentiality as other information we hold about you.
If you want to know more, visit www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk
your record can be hidden = we can hide your record?
You see, you have the friendly tone of voice I’m clearly lacking ;o)
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ali Turnbull, Robert Hempsall. Robert Hempsall said: I forgot to say I've had a go at that NHS leaflet http://www.roberthempsall.co.uk/nhs-summary-care-records/ take a look, leave a comment [...]
[...] NHS Summary Care Records « robert hempsall – information designer [...]
[...] couple of days ago, I had a go at rewriting a leaflet about ‘Summary Care Records’ that came through the doo…. It was pointed out to me by a friend, with more than a little disgust, that the original had [...]
I hope they call you next time. Never has so much information been provided, at such length, to an audience that cared so little.
If you need to put ‘please take time to read this leaflet’, you’ve failed. Imagine if we started putting disclaimers on commercial work. ‘Please take time to work out my obscure headline pun.’ ‘Please take time to squint at my overly small web text.’
Communication is the responsibility of the speaker, not the listener. NHS ‘customers’ don’t owe leaflet-writers any favours.