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Controversal Database Puts Lives at Risk

Up to 200,000 patients' lives are being put at risk because of errors in a new central NHS database of medical records.

The NHS database SPINE (the Summary Care Record), which allows patient records to be shared between health organisations is under review by The Department of Health.

At a cost of millions of pounds, the new database has serious flaws with evidence of errors on medication or allergies. This has led to calls for an immediate suspension of the system. Errors have included out-of-date details, which could lead to serious medical errors being made on patients.

The British Medical Association called for an immediate freeze on uploading of all new care records and access to existing records should also be suspended. Spokesman, Steve Harman from BMA, said, “we're not against it, but clearly there are clearly major problems.”

The first trial launched two years ago in Birmingham has highlighted errors in more than 10% of patient records. This equates to 8,800 out of the 82,000 patients showing errors in data on patients' medication or allergies. Based on the percentage figures of errors from Birmingham were the trial was launched would equate to over 200,000 out of two million records that have already been uploaded nationwide being incorrect.

Dr Robert Morley, executive secretary of Birmingham Local Medical Committees, which represents GP practices, said, “My view is that this system is fundamentally flawed and not fit for purpose. It should be suspended until all these issues have been satisfactorily resolved. We could be talking about patient deaths. This is a huge safety issue.”

Dr Chaand Nagpual, general practice negotiator for the BMA said, “We want to look at the technical problems and see other systems of electronic patient records. The revelations, reported in GP magazine Pulse, are not the first concerns raised. Earlier this year misgivings were expressed about a failure to consult patients properly on whether or not they wanted to be included.”
Pulse reported last month “that the Government is set to scale back the scheme because of profound misgivings.”

A University College London report also recently warned “that patient records contained ‘incomplete or inaccurate data,' and concluded benefits of the scheme rolled out under the previous government two years ago were modest.”

In answer to recent problems with the new NHS database, the Department of Health said, “the system would not be suspended during the review.”

Despite setbacks in the new NHS database, which allows the sharing of patients' medical records between health authorities, the government is committed to NHS reform whilst protecting front line services such as nursing jobs and specialist NHS hospital jobs.

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Posted: July 19, 2010, 9:10 am.

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