Secure sharing of information between health and care services is crucial for delivering safe and effective care. The Shared Care Record is a valuable tool that can be used whenever you provide care to an individual. The following sections will help you understand the types of data available, how to navigate the system, and how to use the information responsibly in your practice.
Data visibility guide
This guide details which datasets are shared by each organisation, offering essential insight into the scope and limitations of the data within the Shared Care Record. Understanding this is crucial for effectively using the available information.
Shared Care Record Data Visibility Guide
Shared Care Record Data Visibility Guide plain text version
Types of data in the Shared Care Record
The Shared Care Record contains both structured and unstructured data. Understanding the difference between these is crucial:
- Structured data: This is highly organised and easily searchable. This information is displayed in the interactive dashboards, such as the Person Summary or Medications Viewer sections.
- Unstructured data: This is more free-form, and does not follow a specific format. It often includes text and documents. This type of data is stored in the clinical document tree.
The data visibility guide shows which data is structured and which is unstructured, helping you to navigate the system and use this information. For more information, please refer to the training materials.
Using this information effectively
- Some data feeds are not live and are updated periodically, so please consider this when making care decisions.
- An absence of information does not mean that it does not exist – always verify if unsure.
- This tool does not replace care conversations with individuals but can be used to enhance these discussions.
- The Shared Care Record does not send notifications when there is new information about a person. You will need to refer to the Shared Care Record regularly for updated information.
Using this information responsibly
- While you do not need to obtain a person’s consent to access their information in the Shared Care Record, it is important to be transparent and inform them whenever possible.
- You will have access to information from a wide range of health and social care organisations. Some of this information may be new to you and outside of your area of expertise. Do not share information with an individual that may impact their care from other providers, such as a recent cancer diagnosis they may not have been informed about.
- You should not print any information or take screenshots as this creates risks related to data security, record duplication and out-of-date information being used. If you require a report or result not sent directly to your organisation, you must contact the originating organisation to request a copy.
- The Shared Care Record does not replace existing communication methods between services, such as sending hospital results and letters to a person’s GP. The responsibility for communicating results and treatment decisions remains with the professional who ordered the investigation.
Learning from practice: understanding limitations in data
The Shared Care Record provides access to a wide range of information that can enhance care and support better decision-making. However, not all data is available from every organisation. Even when data is present, it may not display in the same format as it does in the source system.
This example is based on a real case (with details changed for anonymity) and illustrates the importance of professional judgement when reviewing safeguarding information in the Shared Care Record.
Example scenario
Mary is an 87-year-old woman living alone. A referral has been received for an initial assessment by a community service. Her son, Adam, contacts the team in advance, expressing concerns about Mary’s memory and asking to be involved in discussions.
There is no mention of memory issues on the referral, and Adam does not have legal authority (such as a Lasting Power of Attorney) or third-party consent to discuss Mary’s care. He appears concerned, but no immediate safeguarding issues are flagged.
In the Shared Care Record:
- The Safeguarding Alerts section displays zero active alerts.
- Under Alerts & Hazards, and Referrals, the system shows:
“Could not retrieve data – No active Safeguarding alerts exist for this person in the source system Essex County Council.”
Based on this, it may appear that no safeguarding history exists.
What the Shared Care Record doesn’t show in this case
A safeguarding referral had been made by Mary’s GP just three months earlier. Key details included:
- Adam had recently moved in with Mary following a relationship breakdown.
- He was drinking heavily and showing signs of coercive control.
- Mary expressed fear, saying she locked her bedroom door at night but did not want to involve the police or move from her home.
This concern was recorded in SystmOne (the GP system) using a coded entry: “Adult safeguarding concern (new episode)”.
Although this generated a visible icon within the GP system, the associated documents are not currently pulled through into the Shared Care Record. These include the SETSAF1 referral form, the acknowledgement from Essex County Council, and the case closure note.
Even if a user scrolls back to the GP encounter for 1 April 2025, they will only see the coded concern entry without supporting detail. As an HTML view, this entry also cannot be searched within the system.
Key learning points
- The Shared Care Record is not a complete record and should not replace direct communication with service users or professionals.
- An absence of information in the system does not mean no information exists.
- In safeguarding scenarios, clinical judgement and communication with other services remain vital.
- If something appears to be missing, follow up through usual channels – such as contacting the person’s GP or care team.
This example reinforces an important principle: while the Shared Care Record enhances access to information, it does not replace safe, responsible, and professional care practices.
For up-to-date guidance on what information is included from each organisation and how it is displayed, refer to the data visibility guide at the top of this page.