Online Services

• book, check or cancel appointments with a GP or nurse
• order repeat prescriptions
• see parts of your health record, including information about medicines, vaccinations and test results
• see communications between your GP surgery and other services, such as hospitals

There are lots of apps and websites you can use to order repeat prescriptions. Some may also let you see your medical record and book GP appointments.

Using online services for someone else

If a GP surgery sets you up as a proxy for someone else, you can access services for them online.

If you are both registered at the same GP surgery, you can manage health services for others in the NHS App or by logging in to the NHS website.

If you are registered at different GP surgeries, the surgery setting up access will give you login information for an app or website you can use.

Proxy access

Proxy access for another adult is usually given based on them requesting it themselves, or understanding and agreeing to it. Adults aged 16 and over are assumed to be able to understand and consent to their own treatment. This is called having capacity.

If the person you want to help cannot understand or agree to you acting for them, for example because of a condition such as dementia, this is called lacking capacity.

Your GP surgery may still be able to give you access. They will make a decision based on what is in the best interests of the person who needs help.

Children under 16

If you care for a child aged under 16, and you have legal parental responsibility for them, you can usually get proxy access by asking the GP surgery to set this up. You may need to fill in a form.

Before giving you access, the GP surgery may need to check:

• ID for you and the child, for example passports
• documents that help to prove you have parental responsibility, for example a birth certificate
• with anyone else that shares parental responsibility with you
• for safeguarding issues
• that the child consents to your access (agrees to it) or lacks capacity to consent, if they are aged 11 or over

You do not have to live at the same address as the child to have access.

You can have proxy access for more than 1 child, and a child can have more than 1 proxy acting on their behalf.

Children's rights, capacity and consent

Children have the same legal rights over their data as adults. The GP surgery must get the child's consent before giving access to their online GP services, if the child is able to understand and make an informed decision. This is called having capacity. 

Children aged 11 or over are usually considered to have the capacity to consent, or refuse access, unless for example they have a medical condition or learning disability that affects their understanding.  

If you think your child will not be able to understand what it means to give you access to their online GP services, you can tell your GP surgery.

The GP surgery will give access based on the best interests of the child. This will usually mean having a parent or guardian acting on the child's behalf.