NHS statement – November 2023
Patients are playing a more active role in managing their health and care. The drive to improve patient empowerment has been gaining momentum in recent times and providing visibility of their health information is a part of this movement.
1st November start
From Wednesday 1 November nearly all patients aged 16 years and over, whose GP practices use TPP systems, will see new (prospective) record entries on their GP record automatically via the NHS App. This is in line with the updated GP contract in 2019.
Without this access, patients’ understanding may have continued to be heavily reliant on either their memory of previous interactions with staff or on contacting their GP practice for information. Although some people may continue to need non-digital routes, data suggests that there is an increasing acceptance of, and reliance on, digital technologies within practices and communities. The NHS App now has over 28 million subscribers and is being used by people an average of 2.7 million times a week.
Despite these benefits, there is no doubt that enabling patients to view their medical record online will involve a shift in how primary, community and secondary care professionals may operate on a daily basis.
GEMS – November 2023
