The launch of the Defence Medical Information Capability Programme (DMICP) has not been postponed; the system was rolled out at the first Army pilot site in February 2007 and is currently in service at 12 sites. The roll out is proceeding to schedule, and the system is expected to be in service in all medical and dental centres in the UK and Germany and certain other fixed sites overseas by the middle of 2008.
The Defence Medical Information Capability Programme is due to be connected to the National Care Records Service by December 2010.
In agreement with the General Medical Council (GMC), the Defence Medical Services (DMS) can decide to hold every individual medical record in electronic, rather than paper format.
Service personnel cannot opt out of this system. They may, however, ask that their record can only be seen by a clinician who is directly involved in their health care. Robust provisions have been made to ensure that individual records can be locked down so that their existence in the system is not apparent to those not entitled to see them. In addition, individuals will be able to opt out of allowing their record to be shared on the NHS National Care Record Service, and to place certain other restrictions on access to their records.
All those whose records may be held in Defence Medical Information Capability Programme (DMICP) are being alerted to these facts before DMICP is rolled out at their medical centre. Medical staff have been briefed on the procedures and will advise their patients on the risks of restricting access to their records.