GPs, nurses, social workers and other staff are working together more closely to improve your care and support. 

This means that we may need to ask your permission to share some information about you with other professionals.

Your GP or another member of staff may ask you for your consent to share relevant details about your health condition, treatment or support with other health and social care professionals. Not everyone will be asked about this. It will depend on your health and social care needs.

What this means: Your GP or another health or social care professional can share relevant records with other staff such as social workers or occupational therapists so they can work together to support you better.

What it doesn’t mean: We won’t share your information with anyone who doesn’t need it to provide treatment, care and support to you. Your details will be kept safe and won’t be made public, passed on to someone else who is not directly involved in your care. It will not be sold or passed on to advertising or marketing companies.

What will a closer relationship between health and social care mean for me?

1. A smoother, well-coordinated experience when you use health and social care services. Things will be more ‘joined-up’ behind the scenes.

2. Not having to keep repeating the same information to different staff.

   If you agree to this, details about your medication, care and support needs will be shared with other professionals who need to know.

3. A more preventative approach.

   Staff will work together better to help you stay well and avoid your condition getting worse.

4. More opportunities to influence how services are provided in your community.

   If you’re interested, there will be more ways for you and your family to get involved in shaping how services are designed and run in your area.

5. More information and better access to other local support.

   There will be more information available about groups, services and activities in your area that could help you take care of yourself and improve your quality of life.

Please click here to download our Integrated Working leaflet.

If you’d like more information, please speak to your GP or local healthcare professional.