GPS fear patients spotting mistakes in medical records

GPS fear that patients will spot “significant errors” in their medical records when they are given access, according to a study in the BMJ Open journal.

The majority of family doctors said that allowing patients access to their records would also make them “worry more”, be “confused” and result in GPS spending more time explaining things.

Most were “sceptical” about the initiative as a result, researchers said.

GP surgeries are now required to give patients access to any information being added to their records, which can be viewed via the NHS app or online.

An international team of researchers, led by the Harvard Medical School and Uppsala University, Sweden, surveyed 400 GPS in England.

The results revealed that just one third of the doctors thought it was a good idea, while six in 10 of them said patients would find “significant errors” in their records.

It found that 91 per cent believed access to medical records would make patients “worry more”, while 85 per cent thought their patients may find the records “more confusing than helpful”.

Dr Charlotte Blease, lead author, said most GPS “believed the practice would exacerbate work burdens” with 89 per cent expecting to spend extra time addressing patients’ questions about their records.

Doctors also said that consultations would be longer than they currently are. A further three quarters of GPS said they would be “less candid” in how they document patient appointments as a result, and 62 per cent said it would “increase their litigation”.

However, some doctors did also see benefits to the scheme, including seven in 10 who thought it would help patients feel more in control of their care, while six in 10 said it would improve patients memory of their care plan.

“GPS in our sample were sceptical of online records access, believing patients would worry more and find their records more confusing than helpful,” Dr Blease said.

Data released in December showed that 81 per cent of GP practices in England were giving patients access to their records online.

An NHS spokesman said: “as most GPS surveyed for this study agree, these changes will bring significant benefits for patients who will feel more in control and across the details of their care with over 24 million people already able to view test results, check consultation notes and order repeat prescriptions via the NHS App – which at least 3.1 million people do every month.”