What online services can do for you

If you have ever queued on the phone at 8am to book a routine appointment, or posted a repeat prescription request through the surgery letterbox, online services are for you. They let you deal with the everyday admin of your own healthcare at a time that suits you, without waiting on hold.

Depending on what your practice has switched on, you will usually be able to:

• Book, check, change or cancel appointments
• Order repeat prescriptions and see when they are ready to collect
• View your GP record, including your medication list, allergies and past consultations
• See some test results once a clinician has reviewed and filed them
• Update your address, phone number and contact preferences
• Send non-urgent admin queries, such as requests for a fit note or a letter

Online services are not a replacement for urgent care. If you have chest pain, severe bleeding, difficulty breathing or another emergency, call 999. For urgent but non-emergency advice, call 111. Online tools sit alongside those routes, they do not replace them.

Before you start: what to have ready

Getting set up takes about ten minutes if you have everything to hand. Have these ready before you begin:

• Your full name, date of birth and NHS number, if you know it
• A mobile number and an email address you check regularly
• Photo identification and proof of address, as some practices ask to see these
• A quiet moment, so you can read the security screens properly

You must already be registered with the practice — online access is attached to your patient record, so it cannot be created before you are on the list. If you have recently moved and are not yet registered, sort that first. If you are registering with a practice for the first time, ask about online access at the same time and save yourself a second trip.

How to register with your surgery

There are two usual routes, and your practice will tell you which one it uses.

• Ask at reception. Staff can print or email your registration details on the spot in many cases. This is often the quickest option if you are already visiting the surgery.
• Check the practice website. Many practices have a short online form you fill in to request access, and a member of the team will then verify your identity and send you the details.

You will normally be given an account ID and a linkage key, or a one-time code that ties your online account to your patient record. Treat that code like a password. It usually works only once, so if you lose it you will need to ask for a new one rather than guessing.

If you are setting this up for a child, or for an adult you care for, mention it at this stage. Access on someone else's behalf is called proxy access, and it needs the right consent and paperwork. It is straightforward, but it is not something you can set up on your own from home.

Getting set up on your phone or computer

Once you have your registration details, you can complete the process on your own device using your practice's online system or the national health app, if your surgery is connected to it.

• Step one: choose a strong, unique password of at least ten characters. Do not reuse the one you use for email.
• Step two: turn on two-step verification if it is offered. You will get a code by text each time you sign in on a new device.
• Step three: enter your account ID and linkage key, or scan or type the code you were given, to connect your account to your record.
• Step four: test it straight away by ordering a repeat prescription or checking your medication list. If something has not linked properly, you will find out now rather than when you are unwell.

Turn on notifications if you would like reminders about appointments and prescription requests. Then log out and sign back in once to make sure you can get in again.

Common snags and how to sort them

Most problems are quick to fix, and none of them mean you have done something wrong.

• You cannot see your full record. Some practices show a summary first, then open up more of the record after a short period or after a conversation with a GP. Ask what is available to you.
• Your appointment list looks empty. Practices often hold back a proportion of slots for people who phone or walk in. An empty screen does not mean there is nothing available.
• You are locked out. Use the forgotten password link, and check your spam folder for the reset email. If that fails, reception can reset it for you.
• You have two accounts. This happens when you register once online and once in person. Ask the practice to merge them rather than starting again.
• Your results are not showing. Results appear only after a clinician has reviewed and filed them, which can take a few days.

Getting help and staying safe

A few habits will keep your account secure and useful:

• Use a different password from your email and banking, and change it if you ever suspect someone else has seen it
• Log out on shared or public devices, and avoid setting up online access on a computer you do not own
• Keep your mobile number and email up to date, or you will miss verification codes and appointment reminders
• Never share your login details, even with family — proxy access is the proper route for that

If you get stuck, phone the surgery or call in at reception. Staff would far rather spend five minutes helping you get set up than have you struggle alone, and once it is working you will wonder how you managed without it.