EXCLUSIVE

More than 150 pharmacies in England now have access to the summary care record (SCR), C+D has learned.

Pharmacies in Sheffield have begun to use the read-only record as part of a national rollout, alongside Day Lewis and Rowlands branches nationwide, the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) told C+D on Tuesday (January 12).

In total, 156 pharmacies have been granted access to the record, it said. North of England chain Weldricks Pharmacy is due to begin rolling out SCR to its stores next month, HSCIC told C+D.

Every NHS England regional team has begun to plan the rollout of the record in pharmacies, and “many” have scheduled face-to-face training sessions with pharmacists on using SCR, it said.

Read-write access

HSCIC has begun reviewing potential scenarios where pharmacists may need to amend a patient record, it told C+D. These include when a pharmacist makes an emergency supply, or if they adjust a patient's medication, it said.

"Wider consultation with pharmacy stakeholders is planned for the coming months to determine the most appropriate method for sharing this information," it added.

NHS England told C+D in October that it was "absolutely committed" to investigating whether pharmacists should be able to amend patient records.

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