A statement on information sharing within healthcare was issued in Autumn 2023 by the National Data Guardian (Dr Nicola Byrne), the Information Commissioner (John Edwards) and the Chief Medical Officer for England (Professor Chris Whitty) calling on staff to prioritise the availability of relevant information at the point of care, so that individuals can receive safe and appropriate treatment.

The full statement is available here.

The Case for a Shared Care Record (JUYI) in Gloucestershire

We already share health records but often do this via less secure and less efficient routes such as telephone and fax.

Better sharing of information between doctors, nurses and others involved in your care can deliver significant benefits, including:

  • You don’t have to keep repeating your medical or social care history
  • Those involved in your care have access to the right information when they need it
  • We can reduce duplicate appointments and tests
  • You will receive the right treatment and care more quickly
  • We can reduce the need for unplanned hospital admissions and, if you are admitted, reduce unnecessary time spent in a hospital bed

Information from across the NHS would be available 24 hours a day, thus reducing the time spent checking details from multiple sources or delaying the most appropriate treatment if, for example, a GP practice is not open at the time.

Here are some examples of how JUYI can make a difference and help deliver better care.

The right information in the right place at the right time

A 54-year-old man begins to feel unwell and calls the out-of-hours GP. The patient is also confused.

While the out-of-hours GP doesn’t think he is seriously ill, she is concerned about the level of oxygen in his blood.

To be on the safe side she calls an ambulance and the patient is admitted to his local emergency department where a consultant admits him to a ward for observations overnight.

If the out-of-hours GP had been able to access the conditions and medications section of the patient’s shared care information it would have confirmed his low oxygen levels is a long-standing condition being managed and regularly monitored by his own doctor. The oxygen level is within its normal range for the patient and nothing to be overly concerned about.

The out-of-hours GP would have been able to recommend using the existing medicine with a telephone follow-up two hours later.

  • No ambulance call out
  • No waiting in the emergency department
  • No overnight stay in hospital.
More appropriate treatment

Paramedics are called to a patient who has had a fall.

They find nothing serious but while examining him they find he has some chest problems.

The patient’s GP is not available for a clinical discussion, but by accessing the patient’s new joined up healthcare information, they can see that he was seen by a GP earlier that day and has been prescribed antibiotics for a chest infection.

As a result they do not need to take the patient to hospital but are able to advise him to contact his GP if he gets any worse.

Spending time on your care, not chasing basic details

An older patient who is showing early signs of dementia is on the mend and back at home following a fall when her GP calls.

The patient is unsure about whether she has been fully assessed by physio and OT.

It takes two telephone calls and a letter to confirm that the assessment took place two weeks ago, details that would have been readily available as part of her shared healthcare information.

Joining up your care

An older patient with dementia is keen to stay living in her own home.

She is being monitored by the community mental health team and social services and the support they offer ensures she is safe and well.

Gloucestershire County Council social care teams can see what medications have been prescribed and can ensure she receives them in a timely and safe manner.

Meanwhile NHS staff are able to adjust medication times to coincide with visits and are able to be more responsive should any side effects or changes in condition be reported.

Sharing health and social care information in this way means professionals from both teams are able to better manage potential risks. It is estimated that the patient was able to remain in her own home for at least a year longer than she would have been without this combined intervention.

JUYI will only be used by healthcare staff in Gloucestershire involved with your individual direct care.

You can find out more about other ways that patient information may be used within the NHS at: