Your GP health record includes information about the care you’ve had from your GP surgery.
What’s in your GP record
- medicines your GP has prescribed
- allergies you have
- vaccinations you’ve had
- conditions you’ve been diagnosed with
- notes from appointments at your GP surgery
- results of tests your GP surgery has arranged
- letters that hospitals or specialists have sent to your GP
What’s not in your GP record
- information kept by other services (such as hospitals, dentists and opticians) that has not been sent to your GP – to get this information, you’ll need to contact these services directly
Contact your GP surgery if:
- you’re unable to see your record
- information is missing or has disappeared from your record
- there’s incorrect information in your record
- you can see information that should not be there (for example, you can see information that’s not yours)
- you do not want to be able to see your record
- someone is pressuring you for information in your record
Email or call the surgery, or speak to a receptionist at the surgery when you go for your next appointment.
Online Access guides and information
The NHS have a set of guides that use easy words and pictures to enable users to understand GP online services.
gp-online-services-guide-easy-read-v2.pdf (england.nhs.uk)
what-you-need-to-know-about-your-gp-online-record.pdf (england.nhs.uk)
protecting-your-gp-online-record.pdf (england.nhs.uk)
gp-online-services-for-carers.pdf (england.nhs.uk)
employed-carers-access-to-your-gp-online-services.pdf (england.nhs.uk)
giving-another-person-access-to-your-gp-online-services.pdf (england.nhs.uk)
young-peoples-access-to-gp-online-services.pdf (england.nhs.uk)
pat-guid-clr-young-people-gp-online.pdf (england.nhs.uk)
Using linked profiles to access services for someone else (Proxy Access)
As a parent, family member or carer, you may be able to access services for someone else using linked profiles. This is also sometimes called having proxy access. You can then access the linked profile by using the NHS App or by logging in through the NHS website.
Who can use linked profiles
You can use linked profiles if:
- your GP surgery has registered you for proxy access
- your GP surgery uses TPP (SystmOnline) or EMIS (Patient Access)
Your GP surgery can tell you which system they use if you’re not sure.
What you can do with linked profiles
Your GP surgery controls what you can do with a linked profile. Depending on the level of proxy access your surgery agrees to give you, you may be able to switch profiles to act on behalf of another person and:
- book an appointment
- order a repeat prescription
- view some or all of their GP health record
How to add a linked profile
Tell your GP surgery that you would like to arrange proxy access for the person you care for. Your GP surgery will guide you through registration.
You’ll need to provide identification to your GP surgery so they can:
- confirm who you are
- check you are the correct person to act on the other person’s behalf
Switching to a linked profile
After your GP surgery has registered you for proxy access for one or more people, you can switch to a linked profile after logging in to the NHS App or website. You do not need to log in and out each time.
To act on behalf of another person:
- Log in to the NHS App or website.
- Select Linked profiles.
- Select the name of the person you want to act for.
When you switch to another person’s profile, a yellow banner at the top says Acting on behalf of and the person’s name.
Switching back to your profile
When you have finished using services on behalf of another person:
- Select the Switch profile link in the yellow banner at the top.
- Select Switch to my profile.
Removing access to your profile
Your GP surgery can help if you have questions about removing access to your profile.
If you’re a young person, you may have questions about who has access to your profile as you get older. Before a child is aged 11, their parents usually control access to their health record and online GP services. When the child is aged between 11 and 16, parents may be allowed proxy access to their child’s online services, if the GP surgery agrees this is appropriate. This access ends when the child reaches the age of 16.
If you are aged 13 or over, and you are registered at a GP surgery in England or the Isle of Man, you can access your own profile in your NHS App.
If you’re aged between 11 and 16, and you have questions about who can access your health record or online services, contact your GP surgery.
Online access to prospective GP health record information – 9 November 2023 update
NHS England has been working to make it easier for patients to digitally access their health information in their GP record so they can better understand and manage their health.
In early 2022, new functionality was successfully tested in 16 early adopter sites to automatically give all patients online access to new GP health record entries. Since December 2022, GP practices across the country have been providing patients with online record access using this functionality.
Access to records is a legal right for people and general practice is now required to give all patients aged 16 and over access to their new health record entries.
Understanding all you can about your condition and what you need to do to stay as healthy as possible is one of the best ways of meeting your health goals.
Greta, who has an ongoing health condition, has access to her GP record and it has helped her manage her vitamin B12 deficiency. She said: “By looking at my blood tests and results, I can begin to understand what ‘normal’ means for me. Because normal is different for all of us. I look at my blood tests before I go to the doctor, so I can see my results and think about them before we speak. This means I can get questions ready in advance and feel informed at my consultation. To me, that is very, very important.”
Access to your GP record can be made through the free NHS App or online account. If you haven’t downloaded the NHS App to your smartphone or tablet, you can find out how to online at https://nhs.uk/helpmeapp. If you have the NHS App or an online account and you cannot see your record you can ask your practice to make it available to you. Once you have access, you will be able to see information from any consultations going forward.
Dr. Butler-Reid our GP Partner said: “We have long campaigned for people to understand more about their health. If you can see what’s on your record and what your healthcare team have advised you to do, you can be in control of your health and on the path to leading a long and healthy life.”
Vin Diwakar, Medical Director for Secondary Care and Transformation for NHS England, said: “We believe it is every patient’s right to see the health information held about them on their GP record, that it is their information, and it should be easily accessible. This standard of care means you will be able to read your notes and better understand your own health.”
Watch Your online GP health record – YouTube for a visual guide and information regarding online access.
How to see all the information in your GP health record
When you view your GP health record online, you should be able to see any information that was added recently.
If you need to see older information, you’ll have to fill in a historic access form. This process can take up to 6 weeks to complete.
To obtain a form, mention it to a receptionist at the surgery. You will be required to complete the form, sign it and show 2 forms of photographic ID (the form contains a list of acceptable ID)
Let your GP surgery know if you only need access to something specific in your record (such as previous test results). This can be quicker than getting access to your full historic record.
The surgery will consider your request and make sure there are no issues with making the information available to you (for example, if it could put you or someone else at risk of harm). This can take a few weeks.
If there are no issues with making this information available, you’ll be able to see it when you view your GP record online.
