New ICO advice on handling Subject Access Requests
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) have recently released a blog containing further advice for GPs and practices on the right of access for patients, commonly called Subject Access Requests (SARs). The blog is titled 'Why the right of access to patient data needn't be a headache for GPs'. It recognises that since May 2018 practices have been receiving an increasing number of SARs, particularly from third parties, eg solicitors and insurers. The blog offers practical advice and tips for practices in dealing with these requests.
The new national GP Contract also recognises the pressure that the increase in SARs has had on general practice and a three-year annual Global Sum uplift of £20 million has been agreed to acknowledge the workload burden of SARs on practices. NHS England believes that the digitalisation of current Lloyd-George paper records will be completed in three years. Once it is completed, patients will then have online access to their electronic and digitalised records and will be able to directly access the relevant SARs information themselves.
Last updated : 17 Apr 2019GP State of Emergency update March 2017 (22 Mar 2017)
Our GP State of Emergency campaign is almost a year old and continues to go from strength-to-strength, with the website just passing 10,000 downloads of template letters, posters and guidance...Londonwide LMCs' March 2017 newsletter (22 Mar 2017)
Impact of IR35 changes on practices : New Guidance (22 Mar 2017)
The IR35 has been introduced as an anti-tax avoidance mechanism and applies to those organisations defined as a ‘public authority’ under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. For NHS purposes...Unresourced and unfunded work (22 Mar 2017)
Our November 2016 workforce survey showed significant demand for work outside of core contract being put on responding practices. Of the 12 types of work not covered by core that...Child safeguarding reports – where does your practice stand with local authorities? (22 Mar 2017)
This item was originally published in April 2017, following feedback from LMCs we can now add that Hammersmith and Fulham Council do pay GPs for child protection reports and have a...Winter Indemnity Scheme extended to cover Easter weekend 2017 (20 Mar 2017)
NHS England’s Winter Indemnity Scheme has been extended to run until 17 April 2017, a month longer than originally intended. The extension has been introduced with a particular view to...Premises fact sheet - service charges for CHP and NHS Property Services tenants (17 Mar 2017)
We are aware that some practices are experiencing substantial increases in premises service charges and difficulties in understanding their invoices. We have produced a fact sheet to support you; we...GPC election results 2017 (16 Mar 2017)
Dr Michelle Drage has been re-elected to the BMA’s General Practitioners Committee, Dr Pamela Martin from Lewisham has also been elected. Their specific constituencies are: Dr Michelle Drage representing Hillingdon,...NHSPS debt recovery letters error (09 Mar 2017)
The British Medical Association (BMA) have notified us that they have been in discussion with NHS Property Services (NHSPS) over ongoing issues with the approach NHSPS has with practices. However,...February 2017 newsletter (23 Feb 2017)
Guidance
We provide expert guidance for practices in our guidance section, as well as an archive of other materials you may find useful.
GP Support
Contact our GP Support team if you need help or advice.
The team provide professional and pastoral support to GPs and practice teams on a broad range of issues.
follow us on...
