The Royal College of GPs' Ethics Committee recommends that patients should have the right to "opt in" - thereby providing explicit consent - to the sharing of their medical information on the NHS Care Record.

However, we do feel that if adequate safeguards can be put in place, in time as the system becomes more secure and patients are more aware that their records will be shared, it may be possible to move to an "opt out" position.

The RCGP acknowledges the value of the shared medical record to help improve patient care and safety.

The RCGP has recently relaunched its website with improved style, navigation and content. You can see it at rcgp