Online access to the NHS and your GP

21st May 2012 - People registered with a GP in England are being promised access to their medical records online by 2015. The internet and smart phone apps will also be able to be used to book appointments, get sick notes and test results.

Big government computer projects don't have a good track record of being completed on time or staying within budgets, but this initiative will all be done locally.

In Wales, a similar system, called My Health Online is due to be available by the end of this year.

The power of information

If you've ever had trouble getting through to your doctor's surgery first thing in the morning, you're not alone. It is known as the '8am rush' and it is one of the things the Department of Health wants to improve with online access to GPs by 2015.

The 'Power of Information' project promises:

• Repeat prescriptions available online
• Test results available online rather than waiting for a letter
• Health and care records covering vaccinations and prescriptions will be available securely online so they can be looked at by patients and shared if they need to
• Ability to contact GP surgeries by email
• Local projects may offer remote monitoring of patients with long term conditions
• Healthcare professionals like midwives may be able to use 'digital pens' to write up case notes

In a statement, the health secretary Andrew Lansley says: "It's time to make patient-power a reality."

The chief executive of the NHS Commissioning Board Sir David Nicholson says: "The adoption of new technologies and ways of working are the first steps in a genuine cultural shift in the NHS that will enable the service to work at its most efficient and give patients real power and choice."

Is my information safe?

Some people may be concerned about whether their personal medical information will be secure and whether hackers will be able to get hold of it.

The Department of Health says there are legal safeguards to protect confidentiality, but at the same time making sure information can flow effectively and electronically across the NHS.

It promises to ensure the highest standards of security in electronic communication are maintained. It also says electronic communication can be more secure than using paper.

The Department of Health will work with the Royal College of GPs, patient groups and other professional organisations as part of the computerisation project.

Reaction

Several organisations have issued statements reacting to the plans.

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association says a system such as this would make things easier for those patients that choose to use it, however: "We would emphasise that three key conditions have to be met. The first is that patient confidentiality should be paramount at all times. The second is that data collected about trusts needs to be relevant, accurate and helpful. The third is that those patients that do not use the internet should never be at a disadvantage as a result. This is a particular risk for the elderly and vulnerable in society."