As a surgery, we are bound by strict rules of confidentiality and will never disclose information about an adult patient* to anyone other than the patient themselves unless the patient has expressely consented for us to share their data with a specifically named individual as a proxy.
To have this access granted, the patient will need to complete a “ Proxy Access to Records Form” (available from reception) which enables the patient to grant access to their record at one of two Levels:
1️⃣ Level One Access – shares administrative non-clinical data only (eg the times of appointments, which clinician they are seeing).
2️⃣ Level Two Access – shares all information both clinical and non-clinical with the individual in the same way we would with the patient themselves. This includes test results and the contents of consultations at the surgery. A proxy can also be granted online access to the patient’s digital health record via SystmOnline, the NHS App and other platforms.
We encourage all patients to think whether it might be advantageous for them to grant one of these access types to a loved one or other trusted individual that might be regularly involved in their care.
Without this we cannot and will not share any details about a patient with another individual, no matter how well meaning the enquiry and regardless of their claimed relationship with the patient. This is not to be purposefully obstructive – it is to ensure that sensitive health information is only ever shared with those people a patient has expressly informed us they are happy for it to be shared with.
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*Parents or guardians with parental responsibility can access their child’s GP records through the GP practice until they reach 11 years. Once the child turns 13, they can access their own records via the NHS App. It is possible for a child at this point to still nominate their parent(s) as a proxy after this age.