Frequently Asked Questions

We regularly update this list of questions.  If you can’t find the information that you require, please contact us.

What is the Dorset Care Record and why is it needed?

Individual health and social care organisations in Dorset currently keep a record about you. For example, everyone who is registered at a GP surgery will have a record kept at that practice. If you attend a hospital, they will create their own record about you and the same will happen for adult and children’s services within local authorities. The DCR brings all these electronic records together in one place for a fuller picture about your health.

How secure is the platform behind the online/computer-based Dorset Care Record?

The DCR system is provided by global healthcare company Orion Health, which also looks after a number of other care records across the UK. Orion Health access is governed by an Information Security Management System that has been independently certified as compliant with the requirements of ISO/IEC 27001:2013 for the provision of Health Integration Software.

All access to information is via a secure access portal limited to approved health and care professionals, in addition all data is encrypted from database to browser. System security testing is regularly undertaken to make sure there is no unauthorised access to patient records. Your Dorset Care Record is held within a datacentre in England, which is also used by NHS and other health organisations. It will not be transferred outside of the UK.

What information will be available in the DCR to health and social care professionals?

Details in the record will include: dates and outcomes of hospital visits, upcoming appointments, referrals, prescribed medications, allergies, investigations – for example blood tests – diagnoses, support plan, planned review date and type of package and care plans.

Who can view my Dorset Care Record?

Your health and social care record will be confidential, and only viewed by professionals who are directly involved in your care or those supporting the delivery of that care (e.g. practice and hospital administrative staff).  Your information isn’t shared with anyone who doesn’t need it to provide treatment, care and support to you. Your details will be kept safe and won’t be made public; not passed on to a third party who is not directly involved in your care, not used for advertising or sold.

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, you can request access to all information that organisations hold about you, including copies of paper, electronic and combined health records. If you wish to see the health or care information held about you, please contact the organisation providing your care or the DCR Data Protection Officer.

You will in time be able to update your own DCR.  The Government is keen for people to be able to access their digital records and we are looking to launch this in the future.

How up-to-date is my information in the DCR?

The information is updated following any contact you may have with health professionals.  Only information that exists on the source systems is currently created in the DCR.  Social care information (demographic details) from local authorities has been added on a read only basis. In the future, we hope to also add info from the South Western Ambulance Service Trust – again on a read-only basis.  You will be able to ask for incorrect data to be updated.  This will be undertaken by responsible owners to ensure that updates are relevant and correct.

Can I trust the Dorset Care Record? What about confidentiality?

The Dorset Partners take data security extremely seriously. As part of our cyber security approach, all access to information is via a highly secure access portal limited to approved NHS and Local Authority health and social care professionals. Doctors, Pharmacies and soon to be Dentists also have access.

The DCR will only be used to improve the care and support we provide to you. It will never be sold to third parties like insurance companies or drug firms.

By law, everyone working in, or behalf of, the NHS and adult social care must follow strict information governance rules designed to respect patient privacy and keep all information safe. The DCR will keep a record of everyone who has accessed a record, the time and date when they have accessed it and the information they were viewing. The laws on data protection are clear and we take them very seriously.

If I am receiving treatment outside Dorset, can the organisation treating me see my Dorset Care Record?

The Dorset Care Record only includes information from local health and care organisations and GP practices.

As some residents are sent to hospitals outside of Dorset, we are working with Salisbury, Yeovil and Southampton hospitals to ensure that in time they should be able to add information to your care record. Clinicians at University Hospitals Dorset have been able to access GP data through the DCR from the Ringwood Medical Practice. The GP practice, part of the Avon Valley Primary Care Network, is the first cross-border surgery to provide this information.

Can a health or social care professional access my Dorset Care Record at the request of my carer or representative?

Your carer or family member can give permission for a health and social care professional to access your information if you do not have the capacity to make the decision for yourself in line with the law.  They will need to prove that they have legal responsibility to make the decision on behalf of another.

A representative can also opt you out of the DCR. They too will need to confirm they have the authority to act on your behalf and that you lack capacity to do so yourself. When the representative does this, they may be asked by the DCR Data Protection Officer to provide proof of responsibilities.

I think there may be two Care Records in Dorset, is that right?

There is only one shared Care Record for Dorset, but there is a Summary Care Record which is used nationally and provides only a snapshot of your GP record.

The Dorset Care Record provides a more detailed view of your health, care and treatment for your approved health and care professionals.

If you have opted out of the Summary Care Record, you may still be opted into the Dorset Care Record.

How can I opt out of the Dorset Care Record?

If you do not want your health and care information to be shared via the Dorset Care Record, you can opt out of the Dorset Care Record. Opting out of the DCR means that your information will be hidden and not available in the DCR system even in an emergency situation unless you change your mind. Please note that opting out of the DCR does not affect any existing sharing arrangements between the Dorset Partners, so your data will still be shared but just not via the Dorset Care Record if you decide to opt out.

There is further information on how to opt out on our website. We aim to process all opt out requests and acknowledge completion within 10 working days. If there are any issues in processing your request the DCR Data Protection Officer will contact you.

I am new to Dorset, how can I learn more about the Dorset Care Record?

That information is now available online here on the Dorset Care Record website, which includes links to our social media feeds and latest news.

We also have a range of easy read and generic consent leaflets which are available in doctor’s surgeries, acute and community hospitals, libraries and council buildings.  These are also available, on request, in a range of foreign languages.