Online Medical Records

[bobjob]

Originally Posted by hazada guess

I don't know about TPP software, I just accessed it by looking at my GP'S website. If I were you I'd enquire at your GP surgery.(It worked through the covid pandemic and was really helpful).

The system I use operates through my GP's website anyway - TPP are the software developers of 'systmonline' the online booking, repear prescriptions etc. - which I use to do all the things mentioned in this thread.

I subscribed for that service as soon as it became available at my GP's surgery several years ago. But since the pandemic all online bookings for GP appointments got dropped and now we're back to telephoning at 8 o'clock.

Then if you can get through - hard! - you have to wait in a long queue, eventually being 'triaged' and maybe then receiving a doctor call-back later in the day. All that if you are lucky enough to reach the surgery early enough before too many others have been allocated all the appointments for that day!

Our once acceptably good service has deteriorated and that's likely to be the case countrywide I'd guess.

I have never used the booking service on that site, but agree with you totally on the ringing for appointment's at 8 o clock etc. Our once reliable service seems to have gone to the dogs. Even my hospital appointments are now done by a telephone call and I have to drive miles to get my medication!

[Podshell]

Originally Posted by bobjob

I live in Notttinghamshire.

Is this Patient Online Service a recent online NHS facility or the details we can access through the NHS app in the way we can get our so-called Covid Passport/ vaccination records?

I don't know if it is recent or not, plus I don't use apps, so just do it via the net, I think I did it thorough Patient Access which put me on to my GPs page, but it's fairly naff mine, can't even book appointments through it.

[bobjob]

Originally Posted by Podshell

I don't know if it is recent or not, plus I don't use apps, so just do it via the net, I think I did it thorough Patient Access which put me on to my GPs page, but it's fairly naff mine, can't even book appointments through it.

I also access systmonline using a computer and if yours isn't the same system I guess it offers similar features although you say there's no facility for booking future appointments.....

Before the pandemic kicked off my system wasn't all that good for booking appointments because even then demand outstripped the service available much of the time. But now that's suspended and I doubt it will be resurrected as the GP services are even more stretched than they've been in decades.

Here in the USA medical services are also stretched but I don't know if GP surgeries are in a similarly-poor state as in the UK. The healthcare system here is VERY different from anything we know in the NHS although I expect private treatment is still available at short notice in the UK.

Hospitals here are also stretched but as examples of the difference, one of our friends has cataract surgeries scheduled this month and they were scheduled before she came to AZ last November. Another friend has knee replacement surgery scheduled for his return in a coupleof weeks. They both live in different states but elective surgery is going ahead on time as it always has done here - contrast that with similar elective surgery in the UK where patients can be waiting 1 or 2 years to get knees and hips replaced and cancellation is a common experience, even with serious conditions.

Our NHS has been seriously underfunded for many years and the pandemic has stretched its resources - human as well as economic - to failure point. Similarly in the care home sector where local government payments don't cover care home costs and private patients subsidise the system. Even then many are going under at the very time that old farts like me will need care support as the baby-boomer generation I'm in swells patient numbers to bursting point.

I am fearful for the NHS and fearful for my personal wellbeing as I grow increasingly frail.

Originally Posted by Podshell

I have recently accessed mine and they are worse than useless, the small amount of info I can access on them is of no use and not accurate anyway.

In my opinion its no biggie if your online records arent good..... You dont want that info just out there available to all.....

[Podshell]

Originally Posted by Bambo

In my opinion its no biggie if your online records arent good..... You dont want that info just out there available to all.....

I can see great potential in them if they were correct, I am supposed to be claiming universal credit and having the ability to share my medical conditions would be helpful with the claim form, otherwise I have to pester the GP and other people. It would also be handy when starting a new job as sometimes things crop up later on that can be hazardous to health and to have say access
to my allergies for proof would be good.

I can't see many points on a full record that would be appealing to hackers and the security on them are quite strict anyway. You can choose what you share but strangely apparently the people you share it with may see extra info.

[bobjob]

Originally Posted by Podshell

I can see great potential in them if they were correct, ......

I can just about remember some years ago that the nationally integrated service was proposed. The idea was that any medical facility within the UK would be able to access a patient's total medical history to avoid the delay in sending printed records and the risk of losing them along the way.

I think it's natural that patients would want also to see their records but there's always been concerns about confidentiality online and also about certain other risks if outside agencies - insurance companies for example - were able to request to view them.

With so many breaches of systems thought secure it's understandable those holding such records might be nervous about claims against them if their system security failed. Or if inaccuracies in them led to patients suffering losses of whatever kind.

[Native spirit]

I haven't asked to see my medical records but I re order my prescriptions on line,
I phone my doctors and tell them what doctor I want to speak to. they know its me when I say I do not want to speak to the idiot . BUT I phone anytime of the day not just mornings


Namaste

[Podshell]

Originally Posted by bobjob

With so many breaches of systems thought secure it's understandable those holding such records might be nervous about claims against them if their system security failed. Or if inaccuracies in them led to patients suffering losses of whatever kind.

True but I expect people will put claims in due to the problems caused by not having online access to them, also the bits I can see of mine are not correct anyway!

Another thing that worries me is that if my medical records are like this then what are any other records on me like?

Some years ago I had much trouble getting a council flat, after looking into the problem I found the council had two pieces of data about me which were incorrect, one related to an alleged debt, the other to being listed at an incorrect address, so each time I filled an housing application in it appeared as if I was being dishonest. Much trouble and stress. Incidentally when I demanded the rent records for the alleged debt they also included the rent records of the new tenants at that address.

Originally Posted by Native spirit

I haven't asked to see my medical records but I re order my prescriptions on line,
I phone my doctors and tell them what doctor I want to speak to. they know its me when I say I do not want to speak to the idiot . BUT I phone anytime of the day not just mornings


Namaste

Ha Ha , I also use that term when referring to a certain GP at my surgery, this one seems like a person who is put there to deliberately stop you from getting anything you need.

[bobjob]

Originally Posted by Native spirit

I phone my doctors and tell them what doctor I want to speak to. they know its me when I say I do not want to speak to the idiot . BUT I phone anytime of the day not just mornings.

interesting differences, Native spirit

Referring to anyone in my GP surgery as "the idiot" would be against the 'zero toleration of verbal abuse' policy. You must have very good relationship with those in your own surgery. Different countries have different procedures it seems.

During the pandemic lock-downs I tried without success to arrange by phone cryo work on my bonce, something I need at least once a year and have needed for years. It used to be a simple request I could make at any time of the day because it wasn't urgent work or needing a GP to diagnose.

But such a request won't now be accepted so I have to do the 8 o'clock wait-in-a-telephone-queue and then use a slot that somebody more deserving might have benefited from.