Scots deploy Key Information Summary

More than 60% of Scottish GP practices are live with the new Key Information Summary for patients with complex care needs.

Nearly 20,000 KIS records have already been created and the full roll-out is expected to be complete in three weeks.

KIS programme manager Jonathan Cameron said all the country’s Emis practices are live with the new service and around one third of INPS practices.

The KIS is an extension of Scotland’s Emergency Care Summary.

It contains information from the GP practice including; patient demographics; details of staff involved in the care of the patient; main diagnosis and current issues; carer and support details; and recommended actions for out of hour’s clinicians.

It is designed primarily to support patients with long term conditions, but Cameron said anyone can have one.

Their creation involves the GP sitting with the patient to discuss their ‘anticipatory care plans’ and deciding together whether the information should be shared via a KIS.

This could include someone’s end of life wishes.

Clinicians working in NHS 24 and out-of-hours services can access the information via an embedded button in their systems, which is also being added to clinical portals in acute trusts.

“We are seeing very good take-up and interest in the extended summary,” said Cameron.

“GPs have added quite a high number of patients already and it’s in use across all health boards in Scotland.”

KIS will be rolled out around 18-months ahead of schedule after a successful pilot late last year.

“It’s very much around the wider policy aim of having anticipatory care plans and making that a big driver for keeping people out of hospital,” he added.

Maryhill Practice GP Dr Ron Stewart was involved in one of the KIS pilots. 

“KIS will be a major advance in sharing appropriate, up-to-date, information between primary and secondary care with significant benefits for patients with complex needs, hopefully enhancing their care and helping to ensure that their wishes are respected,” he said.

INPS managing director, Max Brighton said: “Allowing authorised clinicians across care touch points to understand the patient’s medical situation is an essential component of a truly integrated health service and helps to facilitate continuity of care.

“The KIS demonstrates how simple it can be to improve the patient experience by sharing information about their current medical status and care-related wishes.”