GP Registration - Data Sharing

Question

To register with a new GP practice, section 5 of the Patient declaration of the NHS Scotland application form states: "To enable NHS National Services Scotland to confirm eligibility to lawfully register with a GP and for the purpose of prevention detection and investigation of crime, relevant information from this form will be disclosed to the NHS Business Services Authority, NHS National Services Scotland, The Home Office, Identity and Passport Service, HM Revenue and Customs, the General Register Officer and Local Authorities".

• Could you please advise how this sharing takes place?
• Why all of the above would be interested in a new GP registration?
• Why there is no paperwork that needs to be signed for a temporary registration or indeed any requirement to advise a temporary patient on how their data is shared?

Response

• The attached table shows the background as to how and when data is shared. Some areas are interested in every new registration and some for only specific registrations.  Within NHS in Scotland, it is the GP registration and the CHI number which is the gateway to the entire NHS.  (Community Health Index - data base for all patients registered with GP practices in Scotland/and/or using NHS services in Scotland).
• For temporary registrations, there is currently no facility to record temporary registrations on CHI.  Some practices do ask patients to sign a form specifically to ensure the patient has not registered on a temporary basis with multiple GP practices.  This form would be retained at the practice.  The clinical information from any consultation is forwarded to NHS National Services Scotland for onward transfer to the permanent practice, once treatment is complete, for inclusion in the health record.
• NHS National Services Scotland is currently involved in development of a new system which will allow for temporary registration to be recorded and practices will then be required to have patients complete a temporary registration form with similar statements on who data will be shared with.