ICB defies NHSE over patient record access

An integrated care board (ICB) has advised its GP practices not to give patients automatic access to their records, contradicting NHS England national requirements. 

Instead, North East London ICB has suggested practices only allow access where patients request it, and subject to conditions.

The national go-live date for patients to be allowed automatic access to future entries in their records has been repeatedly delayed since initially being set at December 2021. GPs have argued they needed more time to redact sensitive information, ensure records are not inappropriately shared, and train staff. They have cited workload and safeguarding concerns.

The ICB’s chief clinical information officer Osman Bhatti, who is a GP, told HSJ the ICB instead “wanted a process where patients could access both prospective and retrospective records safely, with less workload for GPs and so patients who actually want access can have it”.

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Source: HSJ. 1 June 2023