Online Patient Access

Changes to online access- October 2023

 

The NHS wants to give people better ways to see their personal health information online. We know that people want to be able to access their health records. It can help you see test results faster. It also lets you read and review notes from your appointments in your own time.

You will now be able to see all the information within your health record automatically. If you are over 18 and have an online account, such as through the NHS AppNHS website, or another online primary care service, you will now be able to see all future notes and health records from your doctor (GP). Some people can already access this feature, this won’t change for you.

This means that you will be able to see notes from your appointments, as well as test results and any letters that are saved on your records. This only applies to records from your GP, not from hospitals or other specialists. You will only be able to see information from the 4th October 2023. For most people, access will be automatic, and you won’t need to do anything.

Your GP may talk to you to discuss test results before you are able to see some of your information on the app. Your GP 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. If you do not want an online account, you can still access your health records by requesting this information through reception.

The NHS App, website and other online services are all very secure, so no one is able to access your information except you. You’ll need to make sure you protect your login details. Don’t share your password with anyone as they will then have access to your personal information.

If you do not want to see your health record, or if you would like more information about these changes, please speak to your GP or reception staff

Data Protection Impact Assessment (October 2023)

We at RMP have completed a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) for the NHS England Accelerated Access Programme on 25th October 2023. This has been a culmination of discussions amongst the partner and staff with further advice from our Data Protection Officer.  We have explored scenarios and potential risks and also considered the mitigations that could help reduce the risk. Following this we determined a course of action that best fits the needs of our patient population whilst remaining within the law.

At RMP we have accepted online access be switched on for the majority of our patients except those who following DPIA have been deemed to be at a significant risks. Such individuals will be able to apply for access (an opt-in approach) where then we will be able to assess with them any potential risks of their personal data causing harm to themselves or being misused by others.
 
As noted following the DPIA, certain individuals may have been opted in but do not wish to have online access. These individuals are invited to contact the surgery to inform us and can opt out at any time.

DPIA RMP Oct 2023.pdf