GP Online services
provide patients with the option to book, view, amend, cancel and print
appointments; using computers, tablets or smartphones.
Making patient’s health
records available to them is seen as an important step in empowering patients
to take greater control of their own personal health and wellbeing. Online access keeps patients informed and
encourages them to be involved in decisions about their care and treatment; to
enhance the quality of care provided by practices.
The guidance from NHS
England is that practices should increase the percentage of their patients
using online services to 30%. In addition, the five year framework includes the
following:
·
All patients will have online access to their full record,
including the ability to add their own information; as the default position
from April 2020. In addition, new registrants will have full online access to
prospective data from April 2019; subject to existing safeguards for vulnerable
groups, third party confidentiality and system functionality. The prospective records access guidance and joint statement (NHSE
and BMA) has now been published and is available via the link below:
·
All practices will be offering and promoting electronic
ordering of repeat prescriptions and using electronic repeat dispensing for
all patients for whom it is clinically appropriate, as a default from April
2019.
·
All practices will ensure at least 25% of appointments are available for
online booking by July 2019. This is staging post towards a shared ambition
that all patients should have the maximum possible access to online appointment
booking. The guidance released states
that a contractor must ensure that a minimum of 25% of its appointments per day during core hours are made
available for online booking, whether or not those appointments are booked online,
by telephone or in person.
Do
you need support or help to achieve your 25% of online bookable appointments? Either
contact the team scwcsu.glosdt@nhs.net
or visit this link