The increasing use of digital health tools and platforms will be daunting for some people but, for those able to access them, they can help you understand your health and take a more active role in your care. If you are registered with an NHS GP in England, you can use the NHS App or another approved app to read information in your GP medical record. Here’s everything you need to know about your GP record.
What is your GP medical record?
Your GP record contains information recorded by your practice about your health and care. It also contains letters received from other NHS services, such as hospital outpatient clinics, emergency departments or community services. However, your GP record is not a complete record of everything held about you across the NHS.
Who can view their record online?
People aged 16 and over will generally be able to see new entries made after online access was enabled for them. If you cannot see your record, contact your practice.
You may need to confirm your identity or ask the practice to enable access. Some people also have “proxy access” — allowing them to use online services on behalf of a child, relative or someone they care for. The level of information they can see depends on the access agreed with the GP practice.
What information can you see?
You will generally be able to see:
- notes made during GP and nurse consultations
- medicines, allergies and adverse reactions
- vaccinations
- test results
- diagnoses and other coded information
- letters and documents added to your GP record
Online access does not necessarily include your complete medical history. Some patients have previously been granted access to all or part of their older record. If you need information that is not visible, you can ask your practice.
How can online access help?
Having direct access can make it easier to check the name or dose of a medicine, find a vaccination date or read what was discussed during a consultation. It can also help when completing forms, preparing for an appointment or discussing care with another health professional.
Patients may feel better informed and more involved in decisions about their health. Some also identify errors or omissions that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.
Online access may reduce routine calls to practices for information such as test results or vaccination dates, although it can also generate questions when entries are difficult to understand.
Many patients value access and find it helpful for understanding and managing their care. Some people though need explanation or support to make effective use of the information.
What if something is unclear or worrying?
Medical records are primarily written to support communication between health professionals. They may contain abbreviations, technical terms or phrases that sound alarming when read without context.
You may also occasionally see a test result before you have discussed it with a doctor. A result shown as outside the laboratory’s normal range does not always mean that something is seriously wrong.
Results need to be interpreted alongside your symptoms and medical history. If an entry or result worries you, contact the practice. Contact your practice if you find a possible error such as an incorrect allergy, medicine or diagnosis. Correcting the record could improve the safety of your care.
However, it may not always be appropriate to delete an entry. If the information accurately records what a clinician knew or believed at the time, it forms part of the clinical record even if the conclusion later changes. The practice may instead add a note that you disagree with the entry.
Privacy and safe access
Your medical record contains sensitive information. Protect your NHS account by using a strong password, keep your device secure and do not share login details.
Online access can create risks for someone experiencing domestic abuse, coercion or controlling behaviour. A person might be pressured into opening the app or revealing confidential information.
If you are worried that someone may access your record without permission, speak confidentially to your GP practice which can then restrict or switch off online access.
Practices can also hide specific information or restrict access where disclosure could cause serious physical or mental harm, or where an entry contains confidential information about another person.
A useful option
Online access gives patients a convenient way to view their GP record but using it is optional. People who do not have a suitable device, lack internet access or prefer not to use digital services can contact their practice and use NHS services in other ways.
Online access can make it easier to check medical details, get ready for appointments and take part in decisions about your care. But remember that your GP medical record is a working clinical note, not a full explanation of your health, so use it as a helpful reference and contact the practice if anything is unclear.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
