Remember, only you, or people you give your pass-phrase to, can access your information.
Before we despatch it to you, we encode your Health eCard with some personal information and your GP’s details. When you receive your Health eCard, you are asked to enter a secret pass-phrase of your choice. The computer will tell you if the pass-phrase offers a poor, good or excellent security rating. Without this pass-phrase nobody can access the files.
During your first visit, the Practice will ask to see your passport or photo-card driving licence to ensure that only your details are linked to your Health eCard. After this, a security link is created, and only then can your medical records be downloaded onto your Health eCard. This ensures that in future, only your electronic medical records (EMR) can be downloaded to your Health eCard - and nobody else’s.
Somebody who finds your wallet or handbag in the street, will not be able to read the files without your explicit co-operation.
Once you remove your Health eCard from the computer you are using, no records remain.
You can also securely store your pass-phrase with us in case you forget it or in the case of a medical emergency in the UK and the hospital doctor needs access to the full record. Should this be the case, our 24/7 helpline will be able to release the pass-phrase to the doctor. This is only done after stringent checks have been made to verify the identity of the caller and that it is a true medical emergency.