Automatic Changes Are Being Made To Your Online Medical Record From 1st November 2023

The NHS wants to give people better ways to see their personal health information online and we know that most people want to be able to access their health records.

From 1st Novemerb all patients aged 16 and over who have an online account such as the NHS App, SystmOnline, Airmid or another online primary care service, will be able to see all notes and health records when accessing these online accounts.   Some of our more vulnerable patients will require a seperate converation with the practice before a decision is made to release access to the full medical record.

This means that you will be able to see consultation notes from your appointments, as well as test results and any letters that are saved on your records from 1st November onwards. This only applies to records from the GP surgery and not from hospitals or other specialists and you will only be able to see information from the GP surgery where you are registered at the time. If you move GP surgery, you will only see information from your new surgery and not from the surgery that you have moved from. For most people, access will be automatic and you won’t need to do anything, however some of our more vulnerable patients may need a chat with a clinician before a decision is made to make full records access available.

Your GP, nurse practitioner or other healthcare professional may talk to you to discuss test results before you are able to see some of your information on the app. Your clinician may also talk to you before your full records access is given to make sure that having access is of benefit to you. There might be some sensitive information on your record, so you should talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

These changes only apply to people with online accounts. The changes also only apply to personal information about you and will not affect patients with proxy access.

The NHS App and other online services are all very secure, so no-one is able to access your information except you.  If you do not currently have access to an online account, please download the NHS app and follow the set-up instructions.

If you do not want to see your health record, please let us know by emailing Castlemedicalgroup.noreply@nhs.net

Text messages have been sent out to patients with current online access which includes an attachement that requires you to enter your date of birth in order to view it.

We are aware that you may come across abbreviations whilst looking through your consultations.   Here is the link to a handy guide provided by the NHS to abbreviations Abbreviations you may find in your health records - NHS App help and support

An important note about password security

You must make sure that you protect your online access login details.

Please do not share your password with anyone else, as from 31^st OCTOBER anyone you have shared your login information with will have access to all of YOUR personal information.  If you believe that someone else has access to your login information/password, please change your password as soon as possible.

If you access your online account via a shared mobile phone or other electronic device, please do not ask the device to save your log in information and password and remember to log out of your online account each time you have finished looking at your information.

We are currently receiving requests for full records access from parents / carers who have proxy access to other patients records.  Please note these requests will be declined.  Full records access will not be enabled for patients with proxy access. 

Consent

We have made some changes around consent and confidentiality following National guidance. Whilst this is not law, these are strong recommendations from our national bodies. 

Online records consent 

Up to 10 years of age the parents / carers of our younger patients can have *proxy access to book appointments, order medication and view the child’s medical record.

Please use this form to request proxy access for a child up to the age of 10 years old - Online access form over the age of 16 including proxy.pdf

Patients aged 11 and 12 years of age inclusive

A telephone ringback should be booked for the patient (not the parent or carer) with their usual GP at the same time as handing in the application form. During the call the GP will discuss the implications of parental access with the patient and the GP will make a decision on whether they are happy for the parent / carer to have proxy access.  

If agreed, the proxy access for parents / carers will be for booking appointments and ordering medication ONLY and this access will be removed on the child's 13th birthday, or, if they ask for proxy access to be removed, whichever is sooner.

Access will not be given to parents / carers via the NHS app due to the patient being too young for their own NHS app account.

Please use this form to request proxy access for 11 and 12 year olds - On Line Proxy Access 11 -12 year olds.pdf

Patients ages 13 to 15 years of age inclusive

Patients should apply for access in their own right. Access will be given for booking appointments and ordering medication ONLY.

The patient will require their own email account and own mobile number.  Login details will not be sent to parents or carers and no shared email accounts or mobile numbers are allowed.

*Proxy access for parents / carers will ONLY be given for MEDICAL REASONS and always at the discretion of the GP. Usually the patient is unable to make medical decisions by themselves due to a medical condition. This access is given on a case by case basis. 

Access will not be given to parents / carers via the NHS app due to the patient being too young for their own NHS app account.

Please use this form to request access if you are aged 13 - 15 years old - Online access form for 13 -15 years.pdf

Patients ages 16 years and over

Patients should apply for access in their own right using their own email address and own mobile number. No shared email addresses or mobile numbers are allowed.

Access will be to book appointments, order medication and view medical records.

*Proxy access for parents / carers will ONLY be given for MEDICAL REASONS and always at the discretion of the GP. Usually the patient is unable to make medical decisions by themselves due to a medical condition. This access is given on a case by case basis.

Please use this form to request access if you are aged 16 years and over - Online access form over the age of 16 including proxy.pdf

* Proxy access was developed to allow someone other than the patient (often used by the parents or recognised carers of young children and the registered carers of adults) to access and manage parts of their GP online services account. The proxy is given their own online access account (rather than using the patient’s login details).