WALES - Digital Access to GP Records/OPEN CONSULTATION ON the Future of Digital Healthcare

[DJR1]

I have decided to write a new thread after exploring patient access to digital records in Wales over the weekend.

The most important thing I found out is the open consultation in the screenshot which closes on the 30 November. There is an attached proposal and I see little reference to patient access. If you live in Wales this is your chance to make your voice heard follow this link

gov.wales/digital-special-h...

I also found a very interesting paper published in November 2018 about digital inclusion for older people, those with long term conditions, disability and infirmity. If you want to respond to the consultation above this provides very good information.

wales.coop/wp-content/uploa...

As for current access I did not get answers from my contacts but this is how I understand the current situation for GP record access in Wales

1. There is some patchy access to online appointments/ medication requests via MyHealthOnline

2. It seems that it is up to individual practices whether to register to provide patients with online services

3. There has not been a coordinated effort by anyone to provide patient access to online services or access to online medical records.

4. There seems to be some awareness of the problem and there is going to be a new health board to organise the whole Welsh digital infrastructure and provide funding streams.

5. Looking at MyHealthOnline it is possible on this system to provide access to medical records but I suspect this has never been implemented even when Practices registered for the basics

What does this mean?

NHS England was also this disorganised ten years ago. There has been a very active group of campaigners including some GP who have campaigned loudly to make leaders aware of patients views. Things took years to change.

I can see that things are going being completely reorganised in Wales. My advice is to reply to the open consultation and get as many people possible to create the demand for digital inclusion in the new set up. Contact patient representatives on health boards, GP Patient Participation groups, contact local councillors your MP etc etc

It is astonishing that NHS Wales is so far behind NHS England but patients can create change and the case and evidence is in place with the mandatory policies established in England.

If I find out more I will continue to post.

[helvella Administrator]

Very helpful, thank you.

[RedApple]

Excellent work as always DJR1, thank you

Calling all members residing in Wales... here's your chance to help drag the Welsh NHS into the 21st century!

[helvella Administrator in reply to RedApple]

Google Translate says:

Llusgwch Gymru yn cicio ac yn sgrechian i'r unfed ganrif ar hugain.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

DJR1

Thank you so much for this, very kind when you're not in Wales yourself.

I have had a look and to be honest how to answer the questions is beyond me. All I need, as a simple patient, is to ask for online access to test results and my records. Making appointments online might be useful but I can actually see that being abused by some people taking appointments for trivial things which don't require a surgery appointment.

[DJR1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi I have had a look at the questions and I think question 7 is the best option here. If you have any related issues.....

I wonder if we could put a piece together about patient access to GP digital records and then follow up with each person talking about how access would make a difference to them??

[Valarian in reply to SeasideSusie]

They could send people a passcode when they need to book an appointment, or mark their record in some way as eligible to book a particular appointment - eg when a follow-up is due, or a blood test. But online access to records and results would be a start.

[helvella Administrator]

Got sixty days to read it again a few dozen times before responding!

[Zephyrbear in reply to helvella]

I shall certainly attempt to do so!!!

[serenfach]

Thanks for this. I had not seen it despite using my GP online portal the other day to order repeat prescription.

In 2015 The Welsh government published a five-year digital health and care strategy, which includes a citizens’ portal for patients to access their GP records, They promised by 2017 that GP patients in Wales will be able to view their medical records, letters and update their information online through a citizens’ portal. Further down the line, patients would also be able to view medication information, view any information held by hospitals, community and social care and see which health and care professionals have accessed their records. It did not happen and I wonder how much money this cost.

As far as I can recall, then there was a mess as to what was actually being bought and paid for, and two portals came on line - imps2 and emisweb. My GP is on the emisweb one and all I can do is book an appointment and order a prescription. There is a list of contra-indications and allergies, which in my case is wrong, and I have tried a number of times to correct it. Nothing happens.

I wil have a look at the consultation and probably have to retype replies to make them more polite!

Thank you again for posting this.

[RedApple in reply to serenfach]

Gosh, that's an awful lot of unfulfilled promises

[BrynGlas]

My Good grief!!! I live in North Wales and have often bemoaned the fact that we are in the dark ages compared to the rest of the uk. If I hadn't been member of this site I would have never heard of this consultation process.

I have been in my GP surgery twice in September and I would have thought that there should at least have been something on a notice board or whatever to make patients aware of the process, but there was nothing.

Why on earth are patients not being informed?

[Valarian]

I need to read this again, but it’s ridiculous that Wales is still living in the last quarter of the twentieth century as regards digitisation of medical records and access to services.

[DeeD123]

As a typical problem trying to access blood results in wales.

Phone consultation only because of pandemic. I usually see my results on the endos screen and discuss with them .also I photograph it for my records. Realised that I hadn’t been given them on one consult and phoned secretary for them only to be told we don’t work like that , we have rules to follow, ask your gp. Ok

I phoned gp to be told they can’t access hospital records, phoned hospital again to be told gp can access them, back to gp who finally admitted they won’t on principle as they arnt treating me the hospital is. I have now had to go through hospital records every time I get a blood test. We need more stress like a hole in the head.

Thanks for posting this I will have a good look around it and get back to you if I’m stuck if that’s ok.

[DJR1 in reply to DeeD123]

How infuriating and those soundbites in the NHS Constitution that “the patient is at the heart of everything we do” are so far from the truth. I wonder if the GP knows how to do it but the attitude is a disgrace. Where is the empathy? I hope you get your results soon. You could of course submit an SAR to the hospital but it shouldn’t be necessary.

We have submitted 2 SAR this week one for brain scan results! It is over 6 weeks since the scan and the GP was notified 4 weeks ago. My son has not heard from the hospital. Although we can see the brief report to the GP on his online record and it’s okay there were other issues we need to know about. It is like patients are bystanders in their own care and the last people to know results.

[DeeD123 in reply to DJR1]

I hope you get your results. I honestly find it unbelievable that my gp likes looking like a total schoolyard idiot. Will get mine eventually but I’m so looking forward to my first face to face with them. My treatment since Feb has been dire and they have a lot of answering to do. Stay well and thank you for posting this. X