Request Proxy Access

The representatives

(These are the people seeking proxy access to the patient’s online records, appointments or repeat prescription.)

Proxy access allows parents, family members, carers, care home staff, to have access to their patients’/dependants’ online services accounts, in order to book appointments, request repeat medication and where applicable, view their medical record.

Anyone with capacity to do so may give informed consent to the practice to give proxy access to online services and the GP records. If the patient lacks capacity, proxy access may be given to a family member or carer either because they hold a Power of Attorney for health and welfare or because the GP judges it to be in the patient’s best interests.

The proxy does not have to be a registered patient at the practice, BUT must be registered for online services on the GP system and always use their own login credentials. They should not have access to the

patient’s

The practice can refuse or withdraw proxy access, if they judge that it is in the

patient’s

The level of access is configured per patient for each proxy user, as they may care for more than one patient and need different levels of access.

Applying for Proxy Access

If you wish to apply for proxy access (essential for children under the age of 16 years) you must complete the Proxy Access form (available from reception). The form is split into the following Sections:

1. the ‘patient’ gives permission for the named ‘representative’ to have proxy access and the level of access being given. The patient must sign.

2. the ‘representative’ requests access to the ‘patient’s’ online access and signs to understand their responsibility for safeguarding sensitive information. The ‘representative’ must sign.

3. this gives details (name, address, date of birth, contact details) for both the ‘patient’ and ‘representative’.

You can now use the internet to book appointments with a nurse or for a blood test, request repeat prescriptions for any medications you take regularly and look at the results of your blood tests or your immunisation records online. You can also still use the telephone or call in to the surgery for any of these services as well. It is your choice.

Being able to see your results online might help you to manage your medical conditions. It also means that you can even access them from anywhere in the world should you require medical treatment on holiday.

From October 2023, patients and their proxies can now have digital access to their clinicians’ consultation notes (please note, this will be from the date of request rather than retrospective access).

Whether you decide to have access or not, or if you change your mind at any time, this is your choice and practice staff will continue to treat you in the same way as before. This decision will not affect the quality of your care.

You will be given login details, so you will need to think of a password, which is unique to you. This will ensure that only you are able to access your record – unless you choose to share your details with a family member or carer.

The practice may not be able to offer online access due to a number of reasons such as concerns that it could cause harm to physical or mental health or where there is a reference to third parties.

The practice has the right to remove online access to services for anyone they feel it could harm or put at risk.

It will be your responsibility to keep your login details and password safe and secure. If you know or suspect that your record has been accessed by someone that you have not agreed should see it, then you should change your password immediately.

If you cannot do this for some reason, we recommend that you contact the practice so that they can remove online access until you are able to reset your password.

If you print out any information from your record, it is also your responsibility to keep this secure. If you are at all worried about keeping printed copies safe, we recommend that you do not make copies at all.

Patients can now apply to have access to their contemporaneous medical notes. Access will be prospective, i.e. from the date of application. There are some important things to consider before deciding to apply for this:

Forgotten history

There may be something you have forgotten about in your consultation notes or other parts of your medical record which you may find upsetting, or indeed, traumatising, to revisit. This may also apply to your proxies if you give them access to your consultation notes.

Abnormal results

If you have been given access to test results, you or your proxy/proxies may see something that you find upsetting – for example, test results revealing new and serious diagnoses such as cancer. This may occur before you have spoken to your doctor or while the surgery is closed and you cannot contact them.

Choosing to share your information with someone

It’s up to you whether or not you share your information with others – perhaps family members or carers. You may prefer your proxy/proxies to have access to some parts of your records but not others.

Coercion

If you think you may be pressured into revealing details from your patient record to someone else against your will, it is best that you do not register for access at this time.

Misunderstood information

Your medical record is designed to be used by clinical professionals to communicate with each other, rather than directly to patients. Much of the information will be written in technical language and will not be easily understood by lay people.

Information about someone else

If you or your proxy/proxies spot something in the record that is not about you or notice any other errors, please log out of the system immediately and contact the practice as soon as possible.

More information

For more information about keeping your healthcare records safe and secure, you will find a helpful leaflet produced by the NHS in conjunction with the British Computer Society: