Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether 999 call handlers and members of the Ambulance service will have access to the Single Patient Record to help them respond effectively to callers with life-threatening rare diseases, such as Addison's Disease.

Yes, they will. On my recent visit to the London Ambulance Service, which already uses the London Care Record to share information securely amongst providers across London, I spoke about the benefits that the Single Patient Record would bring about for their work in future, saying:

“When someone calls for an ambulance, every minute matters. During my visit today, I saw first-hand how important access to patient information can be in an emergency. Having details such as a patient’s medical history, medications and urgent care plans can make a real difference when time is precious. The Single Patient Record will help ensure frontline clinicians have the information they need when it matters most. And that means being able to deliver safer, more informed and more personalised care from the moment they arrive.”