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View your GP health record

Your GP health record includes information about the care you've had from your GP surgery.

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 in your record (historic record information), you'll have to ask your GP surgery to make it available online. 

What's in your GP health 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.

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 up to 28 working days.

If there are no issues with making this information available, you'll be able to see it when you view your GP record online.

Application for Online Services

Viewing someone else's GP health record

GP surgeries can give someone secure access to another patient's GP services, so they can help them manage their health and care. This is sometimes called proxy access or third party access.

You can ask to be a proxy, to help someone else with their prescriptions, appointments or other GP services, or choose a proxy to help you with yours.

What is proxy access?

A GP surgery can give someone proxy access so they can help another person manage their GP health and care.

A proxy may be able to act for the person they support, by:

  • ordering repeat prescriptions
  • booking appointments
  • contacting the surgery or speaking to surgery staff
  • viewing test results or vaccinations
  • accessing all or part of the GP health record, to help with health-related tasks and managing health issues

Reasons for proxy access

Reasons for wanting or needing help could include:

  • having a physical or mental health condition
  • technical barriers, for example not having a computer or a smartphone
  • language barriers, for example if it's not easy to access services in English
  • practical reasons, for example working shifts or unsocial hours
  • age, for example a child may need a parent to manage their GP services

If you're aged 16 or over, you can ask for someone to be your proxy for any reason. It does not stop you having access to your GP services yourself.

If you help someone else with prescriptions, booking appointments or managing their health and care, getting proxy access could make it easier and more convenient.

How to get proxy access

Setting up proxy access

In most cases you will need to contact the GP surgery of the person who wants help, to ask for proxy access. The GP surgery will make sure the person giving access understands and agrees to it, where needed.

You may both have to fill in a form and prove who you are using photo ID. The GP surgery will then decide what access, if any, is appropriate, and make the changes in their clinical systems to set it up.

Adults who cannot understand and agree to proxy access

Proxy access for another adult is usually given based on them requesting it themselves, or understanding and agreeing to it. Adults aged 16 and over are assumed to be able to understand and consent to their own treatment. This is called having capacity.

If the person you want to help cannot understand or agree to you acting for them, for example because of a condition such as dementia, this is called lacking capacity.

The GP surgery may still be able to give you access. They will make a decision based on what is in the best interests of the person who needs help.

Using online GP services for someone else

If a GP surgery sets you up as a proxy for someone else, you can access services for them online. If you are both registered at the same GP surgery, you can manage health services for others in the NHS App or by logging in to the NHS website.

If you are registered at different GP surgeries, the surgery setting up access will give you login information for an app or website you can use.

 

Information for adults who want help with GP services

Important: Your GP health record may contain sensitive information. If someone is pressuring you for this information, contact your surgery immediately.

Getting a proxy to act on your behalf

If you are aged 16 or over, you can ask someone you trust if they will agree to be your proxy and help you manage your GP services. This does not stop you having access to your GP services yourself.

How proxy access can help you

Having a trusted person to act for you, in a secure way, can give you the convenience of online services even if you cannot use them yourself. It can relieve the pressure of dealing with long term conditions, or keeping track of your medical care at times when you are feeling too unwell to manage it yourself.

Arranging access with your GP surgery is much more secure than sharing your own NHS login or GP app or website accounts, because:

  • it provides more choice over what you share, protecting the medical information you want to keep private
  • the person you choose will have to log in when they access your services online, so what they do on your behalf is recorded and secure

Choosing levels of access

You do not have to give your proxy access to view all your medical information online to get the help you need. It's your choice.

Your GP surgery can set up different types of access, and limits on that access, depending on what you want or need help with.

They can:

  • give online access to GP services – you can choose which ones you want your proxy to use for you
  • set a date the proxy has access from – so you do not have to share your whole medical history
  • stop your proxy seeing specific things in your record that you do not want to share, from the past or once proxy has been set up – tell your GP if there are things you do not want your proxy to see
  • agree with you that a proxy can contact or speak to GP surgery staff for you – this is sometimes called "consent to speak" or "consent to discuss"

Choosing who to act on your behalf

You can choose a family member, friend or someone else you trust. You can ask for proxy access for more than 1 person.

Removing access

You can remove access at any time, by telling your GP surgery.

How to find out who has proxy access

If you are not sure who has proxy access to your GP services and health record, ask your GP surgery.

Parent and guardian proxy access for children under 16

Important: You can only get online access to the GP services of a child aged under 16 if you are their parent or guardian with legal parental responsibility.

The child I want proxy access for is 16 or older

When a young person is 16, they are considered to be an adult. You may be able to access GP services on their behalf if they want you to be their proxy, or if they have a condition that means they cannot manage their health and care on their own.

How to get parent and guardian proxy access

If you care for a child aged under 16, and you have legal parental responsibility for them, you can usually get proxy access by asking the GP surgery to set this up. You may need to fill in a form.

Before giving you access, the GP surgery may need to check:

  • ID for you and the child, for example passports
  • documents that help to prove you have parental responsibility, for example a birth certificate
  • with anyone else that shares parental responsibility with you
  • for safeguarding issues
  • that the child consents to your access (agrees to it) or lacks capacity to consent, if they are aged 11 or over

You do not have to live at the same address as the child to have access.

You can have proxy access for more than 1 child, and a child can have more than 1 proxy acting on their behalf.

Children's rights, capacity and consent

Children have the same legal rights over their data as adults. The GP surgery must get the child's consent before giving access to their online GP services, if the child is able to understand and make an informed decision. This is called having capacity. 

Children aged 11 or over are usually considered to have the capacity to consent, or refuse access, unless for example they have a medical condition or learning disability that affects their understanding.  

When your online access will stop

Parent and guardian access usually ends when a child is 16. If your child wants or needs you to help manage their GP services when they are 16 or over, your GP surgery can set it up again. Most GP surgeries also have an automatic cut-off age between 11 and 14, where online parent and guardian access is stopped to protect an older child's confidentiality.

If your access stops, you can ask your GP surgery to restore it. Your GP surgery will usually check the child agrees to your access (consents) first.

You can tell your GP surgery in advance if you think your child will not be able to understand what it means to give you access to their online GP services (called lacking capacity).

When your online access ends, you will still be able to manage your child's health and care at the GP surgery in the same way you do now.

 

 

Other ways to get your GP health record

You can ask for your GP record at your GP surgery. They can give you a printed copy of your record or send you a digital version.

The NHS App

Redgate Medical Centre would like to invite you to use The NHS App

Owned and run by the NHS, the NHS App is a simple and secure way to contact your GP and access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet.

FIND OUT MORE AND DOWNLOAD THE APP

How to make a subject access request

Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to see or be given a copy of any personal data we hold about you. You can do this by making a Subject Access Request (SAR) to the practice.

You may want to authorise someone else to make your application on your behalf, such as a relative, carer or solicitor. You can also make an application to see your child's records, if you have parental responsibility. We may ask your child if they consent for you to access their record, depending on their age and deemed competency. 

You do not have to give a reason for applying for access to your records, however, we may ask for the reason behind your request in order to establish urgency and prioritise your request if necessary. If you don’t need access to your entire records, it’s helpful if you tell us the periods and area of your health records that you require, along with details which you feel may have relevance (e.g. clinic type, location, dates).

 Subject Access Request Form

How to make a request for someone else

You can apply as a third party for someone that you are responsible for, including for a child, or for someone who has died. You will need to provide proof that you are allowed to act on their behalf. Health records are confidential so you can only access someone else’s records if you are authorised to do so. 

Timescale

If you request copies of all or part of your medical record, these will be ready within the timescale specified by the above regulations (currently 28 working days from receipt of your accurately completed form and confirmation of consent). If for any reason we cannot complete your request within that timescale, we will let you know as soon as possible.

Once your records are ready, we will make these available in your NHS App, unless you specifically request to receive them via a different method (e.g. we can send a physical copy by post, or you can collect a physical copy at reception).

Fees

In most cases, there is no charge for accessing your health records or receiving a copy. However, a fee may apply if the request is deemed unfounded or excessive, based on administrative costs.

Proof of Identity

We require proof of your identity before we can disclose personal data. This should include copies of two documents such as:

  • your birth certificate
  • your passport
  • your driving licence
  • an official letter addressed to you at your address (for example: bank statement, recent utility bill or council tax bill)

The documents should include your name, date of birth and current address. If you have changed your name please supply relevant documents evidencing the change.

Exemptions

In some cases, access to your records may be restricted, such as:

  • If sharing the information could cause serious harm to your physical or mental health, or someone else’s.
  • If the information includes details from a third party who has not consented to disclosure (this does not apply if the third party is a healthcare professional involved in your care).

Additional Information

If you are using an authorised representative to request your records, please ensure they understand which parts of your health record they should request, as they may gain access to all your records.

Freedom of Information

A copy of our FOI Publication Scheme is available on request from the practice manager.

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