Online pharmacies may not gain records access
HSCIC says its "immediate focus" is ensuring high street pharmacies can view summary care records
EXCLUSIVE
Online pharmacies may not be included in the England rollout of pharmacy access to patient records, C+D has learned.
The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) plans to begin the rollout of summary care record (SCR) access this month, and it told C+D its “immediate focus” will be on “community pharmacies on the high street”.
“We are working through the scenarios regarding online pharmacies,” it said last week (October 28). “Once we have concluded that, we will progress and communicate appropriately,” it added.
C+D asked HSCIC about its policy following last week’s revelations about the sale of patient data by online business Pharmacy2U. Pharmacy minister Alistair Burt told C+D that its actions “didn’t help” the sector’s campaign for records access.
Last week, C+D reported that pharmacies will have to cover the upfront costs of implementing SCR access, and will receive a “fixed, one-off payment” after they go live.
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