We would like to invite you to attend an engagement event in Northumberland, where you can share your views and shape the future development of the Great North Care Record (GNCR) project. We are working with Connected Health Cities, Teesside University and other local Healthwatch in the North East to talk to people about sharing data between health services. An event will also take place in Ashington on Thursday 16 November.

At present, when you visit your GP any information about you is stored on the GP practice system and is not typically shared with other health or care organisations such as hospitals or the ambulance service.  If you are unwell there could be delays in vital information being received by other organisations and health professionals. The GNCR project is being development across the North East of England and will allow your patient data to be viewed more quickly and easily by those involved in your care, with your permission.

We would like to hear your views on how the GNCR should develop and particularly about deciding your personal preferences to control which information you share and who can access your data.

Key points about the GNCR:

• Healthcare staff involved in your care will have the right information at the right time
• You will have better conversations with your health and social care provider as they will have access to relevant information prior to your appointment
• Sharing information between healthcare professionals will save time and minimize the number of occasions that you will have to repeat your information
• The GNCR will provide joined up care across the region
• In the event of an emergency, medical staff will be able to access your details instantly which will result in safer care and improved healthcare
• The GNCR can support academic and clinical research into new treatments at a faster rate if data is more readily available to the regions universities
• You will be in control of how your data is used in your healthcare

The GNCR has three principal aims, to:

• Deliver an individual’s important healthcare information, at the point of care, from whichever relevant organisations are involved in their care, irrespective of organisational boundaries.
• Provide better information for clinical audit, service redesign and commissioners of care, so that health care systems can be transformed and improved, and run more effectively.
• Provide data for health and care research in a research environment trusted by the citizens of the North East and Cumbria

If you would like to attend one of the events please email info@healthwatchnorthumberland.co.uk or call us on: 03332 408468.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.