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A CENTRALISED database of patients' health
records has been boycotted by a group of Wirral doctors over fears
it will jeopardise patient confidentiality.
From today the computerised system goes live,
allowing medical staff across the borough access to personal details
of about 320,000 people.
But GPs at four practices refused to sign up to
the electronic system.
Although the pilot computer database has put the
borough at the very forefront of technology in the health industry
it has raised serious ethical concerns among some doctors who
believe it is unfair to allow patients' records to be accessed by
anyone other than staff at their own surgery.
And they are concerned security checks to stop
the system being abused are lax.
Villa Medical Centre, Prenton, Upton Practice,
Claughton Medical Centre and Spital Surgery have all refused to sign
up.
Dr Gillian Francis, from Spital Surgery, said:
"My main concern is over patient confidentiality.
"The concerns about the system have not been
addressed, which is why we haven't signed up."
The database was rolled out last year, but
records could only be accessed by staff at the practice where the
patient was registered until today.
Now it is accessible by the GP Out of Hours
Service, the accident and emergency department and the primary care
assessment unit at Arrowe Park Hospital, NHS walk in centres, and
the diabetes team.
Community services covering dietetics, speech and
language therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy will also
be able to look up and alter the records.
The system is paving the way for the formation of
a national database of patient health records.
Wirral Hospital NHS Trust is four years ahead of
the rest of the country. Every house has received a leaflet
explaining the system and what it will mean for them and 500 people
have been trained to use the technology. Patients can opt out but so
far only 14 have decide to. Their records are still held
electronically but only within the practice.
But the refusal by some GPs to sign up to the
database has serious implications for plans to roll the scheme out
nationally.
If the same percentage across the country also
opted out it would throw the scheme into chaos.
Officials at the Department of Health are
monitoring the progress of Wirral's system and will use it to iron
out any problems before it goes national in 2008.
The trust confirmed the GPS' concerns over
confidentiality outweighed the clinical benefits of sharing
data.
WHIS Director, Patrick Reed, director of Wirral
Health Informatics Service, which is behind the new system, said:
"Our ultimate aim is to provide NHS staff with instant access to
important information about their patients' conditions.
Traditionally staff have relied on paper case notes and letters
between the GP and the hospital. | 
