Data security

It depends what access is given by the practice as they remain the data controller. With standard proxy access, the care home can access demographic information and medication that’s is available for order. Any further access would need to be discussed with the resident, practice, and care home.

There is a template in the guidance. This has been signed off by NHS England Information Governance (IG) team for local use and adaptation.

Privacy implications assessments (PIA’s) have been completed as needed locally.

Supporting information:

Yes. Care homes must have completed the DSPT and achieved ‘Standards Met’ in order to set up and start ordering online medication by proxies.

Further information and guidance on how to complete ‘Standards Met’ on the DSPT can be accessed via the Digital Social Care website.

Yes. A resident’s next of kin or other approved representative (e.g. someone with power of attorney) can agree this.

The care home manager can request it if they believe it to be in the resident’s best interests.

The GP can also agree to proxy access if he or she believes it to be in the resident’s best interests.

Care home managers sign to a proxy access request form which includes a statement to say they have verified the identity of the staff member concerned.  If a GP practice has any concerns about an individual’s identity, they can follow their usual ID verification procedures.  Most practices will accept the care home manager’s confirmation.

Supporting information:

Yes. Residents need to agree to the online system and sign a form which should be filed in their GP clinical record.

You can download guidance, information for residents and template forms to use if you wish.

Supporting information:

Residents will already have consented (in the legal sense) to care homes ordering medication on their behalf but on paper.  Moving to an online system means that residents must be informed under the terms of the General Data Protection Regulations. They should be asked to sign a form agreeing to the change.

A suggested letter to residents, an information leaflet, and a form for you to adapt/use are included in the good practice guidance. It’s good practice to encourage residents to ask questions and for the home to deal with any concerns they have.

Supporting information:

Local agreement around consent/being informed and how this documented should be agreed between the GP practice and the care home.

The templates provided in the guidance can be saved in local record systems as evidence.

Supporting information:

The forms provided are for ordering medication by proxy. Any further sharing of information should be discussed and agreed locally between the resident/patient, the GP practice, and the care home. The forms can be adapted for local use.