Child Health (Hansard, 19 October 1988)

§ Mrs. Currie

The Government believe that as a matter of principle people should have the right to know what is recorded about them. We have said in debate that we want progress on developing draft guidelines for general access to medical records and we hope this will be achieved later this year. We think it is in the interests of everyone, especially the health and welfare of patients, that progress is made quickly.

With regard to parent-held child health records, we must give recognition to the fact that parents are the primary health carers of their own children. This is reflected in the Department's overall policy to encourage increased parent participation in clinical and social decisions affecting the care of their children.

We support in principle the introduction of parent-held child health records to record details of routine screening checks on their children such as hearing, eyesight, height and weight, childhood illnesses and immunisations. Because of the number of different professionals involved in child health surveillance there are obvious advantages when parents hold such information all on one record and take it with them to each appointment. However, the decision on whether to give parents these records is a matter of professional judgment.

There obviously needs to be a full consensus of professional opinion before a "standardised" record can be introduced throughout the country. Some of the professional bodies involved have already established a joint working party chaired by Dr. David Hall to look at and make recommendations on the content and timing of child health surveillance. The report is expected early next year.

Several health authorities have already successfully introduced parent-held child health records on an experimental basis. We are watching closely the outcome of this work and, in the light of experience and the joint working party report, we will take any action necessary.