Accessing your GP online records

What’s in it for you?

You can look at your records whenever you choose to without needing to print them. Online records are up to date and are more secure than a printed paper record which could get lost or seen by others.

People who have long term conditions, for example diabetes, hypertension, or coronary heart disease, have found that looking at their test results online helps them make positive changes to improve their health. They can see how their condition is changing by looking at past test results.

You can look at your GP records before your appointment to see if there is anything you need to discuss with your doctor or nurse. This could be your test results, illnesses you have had in the past or any new information added to your records. This would help you discuss any concerns you may have and help you benefit more from your appointment.

One of the most useful things is helping us to keep your medical information accurate. For example, you will be able to let your doctor know if you have an allergy to a medicine and it is not recorded. Before you go on holiday, you can check if your vaccinations are up to date without having to go to your surgery.

Understanding your records

Your records are written to help medical staff look after you. They are not written for you to read and so in some cases you may not understand everything you see. If you find anything difficult to understand, as well as talking to your doctor or nurse, you can go to the NHS website by using this link www.nhs.uk. On the NHS website you can look for information on illnesses, improving health and find NHS services in your local area.

A few things to think about

Your GP may not think it is in your best interests for you to look at your GP records online. If this happens, your GP will discuss their reasons with you. It is up to your GP to decide if you should be allowed access to your online records.

You may see your test results before your doctor has spoken to you about them. This may be when you cannot contact your surgery, or when your surgery is closed. This means you will need to wait until an appointment is available to talk to your doctor.

Information in your record might need correcting. If you find something you think is not correct, please contact us. The staff will be able to answer your questions and set things right when needed. Please bear in mind that you cannot change the record yourself.   

There may be information in your GP records that you did not know was there or that you had forgotten about, such as an illness or an upsetting incident.

If you see someone else’s information in your record, please log out immediately and let your surgery know as soon as possible.

Keeping your username and password safe

If you are given a username and password at any point whilst registering for GP online services, you should not share your login details with others. To protect your information from other people, keep your password secret and don’t write it down. If you must write it down, keep a reminder of the password, not the password itself. This should be kept in a secure place.

If you think someone has seen your password, you should change it as soon as possible.

No one should force you to show them your login details, you have the right to say no. If someone forces you, tell us as soon as possible.

Take extra care when using a shared computer. Who is looking over your shoulder? Make sure you log out when you have finished.

If you have any questions about this information, please discuss with the reception team before accessing your medical records.