NHS App Proxy Access - organise care for someone else

Checking medicines are on the way, booking appointments, checking letter, chasing test results. This can be time-consuming for one person, and then you need to help Mum with her care too.

If you are trying to do all this over the phone with your GP surgery, this can be frustrating.

But there is a better way - get registered on the NHS App, and then ask your Mum's GP for Proxy Access. Then you can use the NHS App Proxy Access to organise Mum's healthcare.

In this article we:

Explain what NHS App Proxy Access is
Explain how to ask for NHS App Proxy Access
Explain what checks a GP makes before giving you NHS App Proxy Access
This also works for EMIS Patient Access and TPP S1 Air Mid

Make more time for what matters - sort out your families healthcare with Proxy Access with the NHS App, Patient Access or TPP AirMid

Best ways to get help from a GP have changed

The way you access your GP is changing 00:11 to ensure you get the best possible care safely and quickly. 00:17 We only want people to attend their GP practice 00:19 when they need to 00:21 in order to keep you and our staff safe from coronavirus. 00:26 If you need to contact your GP practice, 00:28 you should telephone the practice first 00:30 or visit your General practice website 00:33 and complete a confidential online form. 00:36 You can also use the NHS app to order 00:38 repeat prescripti

I use the NHS App

Why people use the NHS App

GP Online Carers Leaflet

Easy Read GP Online Carers Leaflet

Giving Another Person Access to your GP

Giving Employed Carers Acces to your GP

Giving your Employed Carer access to your GP Online Services

Young Peoples Access to Online Sevices

Easy Read Young Peoples Guide to Online Services

What is NHS App Proxy Access?

NHS App Proxy Access lets you use the NHS App to manage the health care of someone you are caring for, but only with their permission, and their GP's permission as well.

The person you care for does not need to be registered for GP online services for NHS App Proxy Access to work, or using the NHS App.

When we say caring we mean any kind of paid or unpaid care. This can include Care Home staff in residential homes, family members or friends. You do not need to be receiving Carer's Allowance for a GP to agree you are a carer, although the GP may want to ask questions before authorising NHS App Proxy Access.

The person you are caring for's GP will need to check they are happy that the person you are providing care for is giving their permission freely, and that you won't miss-use the access, for example, to order medicines for yourself. [Sadly, these things can happen].

We go into more detail about the process and checks in the next section.

Once Proxy Access is given, it's really easy to switch between your information and the person you care for's information in the NHS App. Their name is added into the home-page of the NHS App.

Example:

Joan Smith
Sadie Smith

Then, if you choose their name on the menu as a Linked Profile, you can use the NHS App as if you were them. For example, you could;

Order their repeat medicines
Book an appointment
View their blood test results*
View their GP record*
View their GP letters*

*if their GP has turned on these features, their GP Practice and for the person you are caring for.

The GP record may contain very sensitive information that they wish to keep private. Even the prescribing [medicines] record may reveal confidential information about them.

Ideally, the person being cared for should check through their entire online record to ensure that there is nothing there that they would not want their proxy to see. Patients must have complete trust in anyone who they allow having access to their online account. If they are in any doubt they should not share, or they should ask the practice to redact any sensitive data where it is possible

How to ask a GP for Proxy Access

When the GP Practice registers you for proxy access, you will need to provide your identification (ID) to establish you are the person that you say you are. Please check with the practice regards the type of ID they require.

A legal basis will also be required. If the relative or person you wish to act on behalf of is aged over 11 years, consent from them for the proxy access must be provided to the Practice and recorded in either:

Verbal consent to the GP witnessing the consent.
Written consent. A signed consent form, or a letter from the relative or person, requesting that you are given proxy access. This form should also detail the level of access you will require, if you are uncertain about what access you require, please discuss this with the GP Practice.
Examples include:
access to book appointments only
or access to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view the patient’s medical records, share or download the patient’s medical records.

If the relative or person you wish to act on behalf of is over 11 but is not mentally competent to give consent (e.g. if they have dementia), their GP practice will need to confirm that you are the right person to act on their behalf as a proxy.

This will usually be because you are listed as their carer in their GP record.

What checks will a GP make before granting Proxy Access?

The GP Practice may want to meet with the person you are providing care for and discuss Proxy Access with them to make sure they understand about it.

The GP Practice may want you to complete a form and provide some identity documents so that they can check both your identities. In the next section we show you a typical GP Practice form, so that you can have an idea of what you may need.

You can often request a form by using the GP Practices Online Consultation and making an 'Admin Request'.

Lastly, if your loved one no longer 'has capacity', by which we mean can no longer legally make decisions for themselves, this process is more complicated. If this happens, your GP surgery can guide you through the process, and here is a link to the guidance document they will be following

Learn how to get the NHS App