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Understanding Epr Use Within English Mental Health Trusts ( Mhts )

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ABSTRACT
Background: NHS services delivering psychological treatments to clients requires volumes of patient data to be collected. Patient history information, as well as the dialogue, progress notes and risk assessments, result in mental health services accumulating comparatively more information about each patient than would be recorded by physical health practitioners. The information age has helped to transform the way all patient data is collected and stored. As a result, debate and concerns about the privacy and security of patient data have been evident in both public policy and the media. From the broad debate on patient confidentiality and EPR use in MHTs, four subcategories that would particularly benefit from further assessment were identified.

Aims: This study aimed to contribute to a broader research project into the understanding EPR use within English Mental health trusts (MHTs). The current study aimed to assess four research questions on the following topics: 1) the security of EPR data, 2) the varied use in EPR systems across MHTs, 3) service user access to EPRs and 4) consent for the recording of their sensitive data.

Method: An archived data set collected in 2013 was used. This comprised of 50 responses to 51 MHT Freedom of Information Act officers, who were contacted to complete a 17 survey questions on behalf of their MHT. The data set had been partially analysed in 2014. The remaining data set, not yet assessed was found to be gathered on the four

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