20 December 2024

A link from Rio EPR to primary care records is being implemented using GP Connect, a national NHSE owned solution. This will enable clinical staff to directly access their patients’ primary care records in real time without needing to login to another system or search for their patient.

GP Connect is a national service that's integrated with all major GP software providers. It routes requests to the appropriate GP system, based on the patient's registered GP.

It does not store any GP, patient or care provider data - it merely enables interconnectivity between authorised and approved systems.

Key points

  • Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust (MCFT) will be controlling access using Role Based Access Codes (RBAC) and Smart Cards (Clinical only).
  • GP Connect will not replace the clinician’s current history taking but will allow access to GP level patient information via Rio, 24/7, 365 days, in real-time, without needing to login to another system or search separately.
  • When using GP Connect you must ensure that you are in the correct patient record in Rio before clicking on the application.
  • If patients do not wish to share their records via GP Connect, they must contact their GP practice directly to revoke consent.
  • Opting out will remove GP Connect data sharing with all organisations using the application.
  • All access is audited for data protection and information security purposes.
  • GP Connect will not be available from GPs that do not consent to sharing data
  • Whilst GP Connect contains GP information, it doesn’t have GP-held documents.
  • Once you have finished using the patients GP Connect record, please close the window to reduce the chance of viewing the wrong record. We would not recommend viewing more than one GP Connect record at any one time.

What you can view on GP Connect:

Summary
Summarised text for current allergies and adverse reactions, last 3 encounters, active problems and current medications.

 

Encounters

A journal like view of interaction(s) between the patient and a healthcare professional.

 

Clinical items

Text for coded record items which the provider has classified as clinical, such as problems, diagnosis and procedures.

 

Problems and issues
Any issue that is significant to a patient that impacts their health or wellbeing. It includes disease, surgery, and social issues such as bereavement or unemployment.

 

Allergies and adverse reactions

Table of allergies and adverse reactions.

 

Medications
Tables of medications prescribed, dispensed and administered.

 

Referrals
Request for transfer of care or requests to provide assessment/treatment or clinical advice on care of a patient.

 

Observations

Table of clinical items from the GP record that represent measurement data (blood pressure, temperature, heart rate for example).

 

Immunisation
Vaccinations and immunisations. May also contain vaccination related information such as flu vaccine declined.

 

Administrative items

Table of coded record items which the provider has classified as non-clinical, such as activities of record administration and communications.

 

How to access GP Connect

GP Connect can be accessed via the case record view in the case record menu

Or via the main menu

Use the navigation on the left side of the screen to review the information available.

Q. Can anyone access GP Connect?

A. No - GP Connect is for Clinicians only and access is controlled through your smartcard.

Q. Do we have to register to get access to GP Connect?

A. No, you won’t have to register, access will automatically be added to Clinician’s smartcards

Q. Can we copy and paste out of GP Connect?

A. No - GP Connect is ‘Read Only’.

Q. What will I see if a patient has not consented to their record being shared?

A. The system will show an error message if the patient has not consented to share their record. 

 

Making sure that the Patient Record has been synchronised to the Spine

It is important that you trace the patient before viewing them in GP Connect. 

If a patient has changed GP, and has not been synced with the Spine, then it will try to connect to a GP that the patient isn’t registered with, which will fail. PDS guide.

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