BMA welcomes suspension of patient database uploads

The British Medical Association (BMA) has welcomed the Department of Health’s (DoH’s) decision to suspend the uploading of patient records to a national database in certain parts of England.

Dr Grant Ingrams, chairman of the BMA’s GP IT Committee, said the move to stop the roll-out of Summary Care Records in areas where the programme had been accelerated is a “positive step”.

The BMA had previously raised concerns that the DoH’s accelerated roll-out of the programme would cause a range of problems, such as a lack of information for patients.

This prompted the organisation to call for the initiative to be suspended, while also recommending that a national information campaign be launched to allow patients to make an “informed choice” on whether they wish to be part of the scheme.

As a result, the DoH’s Connecting for Health unit has now assured the BMA that the roll-out will be put on hold until it has raised greater awareness of the initiative.

Dr Ingrams said: “We are pleased that Connecting for Health has listened to us and welcome the decision to suspend uploads.

“Summary Care Records have the potential to improve healthcare for patients if implemented appropriately.”