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Patients to view record entries from July 2022 onwards

Update: this requirement was initially intended to go live on 1 April 2022, but is now postponed until July.

From July 2022, patients with an existing online account will automatically be given access to future (prospective) entries to their patient record, including free text, letters and documents.

For GP practices which use the TPP (SystmOne) and EMIS clinical systems the access will be automated centrally, following the first patient consultation/entry to the record after April 2022. Arrangements for GP practices who use Vision as the clinical system are under discussion.

Practices may wish to refer to our guidance on the circumstances in which they can amend medical records if a patient asks to amend or correct information they can see in their record. 

Key information for GPs and practice staff regarding this change: 

• For new entries after April 2022, a patient will be able to access free text, letters and documents. GPs and practice staff will need to consider the impact of each entry, including documents and test results, as they add them to a patient’s record.
• Patients will not be able to see personal information, such as positive test results, until they have been checked and filed, giving GPs the chance to contact and speak to patients first. 
• Practices will need to consider if any changes are required to the practice’s workflow, ensuring sensitive information is redacted as it is entered onto the clinical system, or know when it may be inappropriate to give a patient access to their record.
• Practices will be able to customise or remove access for individuals if having access to future, or prospective, health information is inappropriate. More information on safeguarding concerns and access to records can be found here. Further materials are being produced in collaboration with the Royal College of General Practitioners and safeguarding experts, which will explain situations of potential safeguarding concerns, and the appropriate steps that clinicians should take to manage the challenge of vulnerable adults and medical record access.
• A patient can have an existing online account through the NHS App or any of the other approved patient facing services appsthat provide record access.
• New online users set up through the NHS App or other approved apps after April 2022 will also receive this level of access by default.
• Any person aged 16 or over who is registered with a GP practice in England can register for an online account to view their prospective (future) medical record from April 2022. If a young person, aged between 13 and 16 years old, has been deemed competent by their GP to access GP Online Services they will also have access to view their prospective (future) medical record. 
• Patients will not see their historic, or past, health record information unless they have already been given access to it by their GP practice. Later in 2022, NHS England/Improvement are aiming to enable patients to request their historic coded records through the NHS App.
• Due to a pre-existing issue, patients that move practice will only gain access to prospective information entered at the new practice, with any information entered at the previous practice considered historic information.

The NHS Implementation team are running awareness sessions to support GP Practices with this change and the sessions can be booked here.

There is existing guidance and materials available to support clinicians with providing online services. In addition, NHS Digital have provided further guidance for GP practices on giving patients online access. We suggest practices read these in addition to the summary provided above.

Last updated : 15 Mar 2022

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