Patients with online accounts such as through the NHS App will be able to read new entries, including free text, in their health record. This applies to patients whose practices use the TPP and EMIS systems. Arrangements with practices which use Vision as the clinical system are under discussion. The GPIT system configuration is being changed so that existing online users have access to their future, or prospective, health information entered after this change is made.

This change only applies to future (prospective) record entries and not historic data.

This is an NHS England programme. The change supports NHS Long Term Plan commitments to provide patients with digital access to their health records. It means GPs will need to consider the potential impact of each entry, including documents and test results, as they add them to a patient’s record. Patients will not see personal information – such as test results – until they have been checked and filed, giving clinicians the chance to contact and speak to patients first.

We also aim to enable patients to request their historic coded records in 2023 through the NHS App.

Research shows that increasing numbers of patients want easy access to health information about them, including 80% of the 28 million NHS App users. Better access supports patients as partners in managing their health, and can help reduce queries to general practice such as on negative test results and referral letters.

The change also supports existing GMS contract requirements to promote and offer online patient access to all future information, unless exceptional circumstances apply.

This change will apply to the NHS App and all other approved patient facing services apps that provide record access, for example Evergreen, Airmid, SystmOnline and Patient Access.