PROXY ACCESS
Requesting proxy access
You can ask your GP Practice to register you for proxy access. They will guide you through the set-up process.
If the relative or person you wish to act on behalf of is at a different practice to yourself, you can ask your relative’s GP Practice to register you for proxy access.
PATIENT INFORMATION LINK (PDF)
How proxy access works
- resident/patient and or their representative
- care home
- patient’s GP practice.
Access is generally given from the date of admission to the care home but longer, retrospective, proxy access can be given if the GP agrees this would be of benefit to the resident.
GP practices can set up their clinical systems to allow access to various elements of the GP records. This is agreed locally, meaning that care home staff can’t see anything that the GP practice does not allow. If, however, a resident does not want care home staff to have proxy access to any part of their record, including ordering medication, the care home must respect the wishes of their resident and continue to work with paper, etc.
Levels of proxy access
As agreed locally, staff in the care home can be given proxy access by the GP practice to:
- book and view appointments
- order medication, including adding a note to the GP practice (e.g. when an item is marked as needing review)
- summary care records (SCR) i.e. allergies and drug sensitivities, acute medication, repeat medication
- detailed coded record (DCR) i.e. demographics, allergies/adverse reactions, drug sensitivities, acute and repeat medication, immunisations, test results, coded problems, diagnoses, procedures, coded referrals and letters received (excluding free text, letters and attachments, administrative items)
- full record access i.e. DCR plus documents (like hospital discharge letters, referrals, etc) and free-text notes
When record access is enabled for a proxy user, this should start from the date access is given unless an earlier date has been agreed between patient, GP, and care home.
What information do I need to provide to act on behalf of someone?
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 and order repeat prescriptions 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.