If I've told you once ...

Healthwatch Surrey undertook a survey during summer 2015 to understand public views on the sharing of health and social care records between professionals involved in a person's care. Commissioned by Surrey County Council, the project gathered 577 survey responses and supplemented these with focus groups involving older residents. The work explored attitudes towards record sharing as part of efforts to improve integration between health and social care services. 

The research found strong overall support for record sharing. More than 90% of respondents were willing to share all or part of their records, and 94% supported sharing information with at least some of the health and care professionals involved in their care. Participants believed better information sharing could reduce the need to repeatedly explain their circumstances, improve care coordination and support more person-centred services. Many respondents described personal experiences of having to repeat their medical history because records had not been shared effectively.

However, concerns remained about privacy, confidentiality, accuracy and access by third parties. While people generally trusted doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, there was noticeably less confidence in sharing information with social care staff, particularly home care workers. Respondents wanted clear limits on who could access records, reassurance that information would remain secure and opportunities to check and correct inaccuracies within their records. 

Overall, Healthwatch Surrey concluded that the public broadly supports record sharing when appropriate safeguards are in place. Recommendations focused on improving coordinated, person-centred care, strengthening confidentiality protections, giving people greater control over what information is shared and with whom, improving understanding of the role of social care professionals, and ensuring older people and those with complex health needs receive additional support so they do not have to repeatedly recount their medical histories.