To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2008, Official Report, columns 2103-4W, on the mentally ill: medical records, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that when an independent mental health advocate is given access to a patient's electronic records they are able to view only the information relevant to the patient's detention, treatment or aftercare. (193292)

Local record holders will decide what information to release to the independent mental health advocate, either by allowing them to view relevant information and/or giving them a copy of relevant information.

Independent mental health advocates will not be given direct access to a patient's medical records through the NHS Care Record Service. However, a competent patient may choose to allow an independent mental health advocate access to their Summary Care Record once these become available through the patient's Healthspace account.