(Please be advised you do need access to online services and/or medical records to proceed – applications are available at reception).
Proxy access refers to access to online services for somebody acting on behalf of you (the patient) with your consent.
A person given access to your online services does not need to be registered as a patient of Bredon Hill Surgery but must apply to us for proxy access to be granted.
Access can be granted to anyone of your (the patient’s) choice – e.g a family member, partner, carer, etc and you can grant access to more than one person.
You may wish to allow another person to use online services for different reasons including:
- If you are unwell and need help managing your medical conditions; speech or memory difficulties or perhaps you are planning for the future and may have appointed someone to hold a lasting power of attorney for health and social care.
- You (the patient) can choose the online services you want the person acting on your behalf to have access to. The choice of online services is usually booking appointments, ordering repeat medication, and looking at GP records.
- You (the patient) and the person acting on your behalf will need to complete a form – please contact reception.
Please be advised the person acting on your behalf will need to return the form in person and the receptionist will request to see photo identification (driving license/passport and proof of residence e.g a utility bill.
Patient Guide – Giving another person access to your GP online services
When a patient is no longer able to make a decision for themselves another person, often a partner or close family member can be given legal responsibility for decisions concerning their life by the courts – Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney. Under these circumstances, the request is reviewed by your usual GP.
There may be times when a GP could refuse the chosen person access. Whilst this is rare, the GP will always put the best interests of you (the patient) first. The GP will discuss any refusal with you or in the case of impaired capacity, with their representative.
Examples of reasons for refusal are:
- The GP does not think it is in your best interests to have the chosen person use online services;
- Online services have been abused by the patient or chosen person in the past;
- The GP is concerned that the chosen person will not keep the information safe.
Bredon Hill Surgery can remove access to your online services for a number of reasons including:
- If we believe you are being forced to share your records;
- The chosen person is deemed to have misused information;
- Death.
Withdrawing Consent
You (the patient) have the right to remove access to your online services from your chosen person at any time – please contact reception.
Proxy Access for Children
A child aged 13 and above, who the practice has assessed to have the required level of competency for decision making, can be granted access to their online records and can also grant consent to a parent or carer to have proxy access.
When a child is not deemed to have the competency and is over the age of 13, a parent may apply for access without the child’s consent and will be registered as a proxy user.
Access to Medical Record
An application for access to a medical record may be made by:
- The patient,
- A person authorised in writing to make the application (such as solicitor or insurance company),
- A person having parental responsibility for a child: any person appointed by a court to manage the patients’ affairs.
- Where a patient is deceased the patient next of kin or authorised Representative.
We will always ensure that we have the patients informed consent to release copies of medical records and on occasion, we may write to a patient to confirm that they are fully aware of what information they have consented to be released. This will generally apply in situations where we get requests from solicitors.
Please refer to the page where fees payable for requests made by third party Non-NHS Services that may apply.
You can now use the new NHS App, a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet.
You can use the NHS App to check your symptoms and get instant advice, book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view your GP medical record, and more.
If you already use Patient Access you can continue to use it. You can use the NHS App as well.
For more information go to www.nhs.uk/nhsapp‘