Online Access

Online access allows you to book routine appointments, change personal details, order repeat prescriptions and access summary medical information (medications, allergies and adverse reactions; more detailed information can be viewed on request). It also allows you and your GP to message securely (available Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 2pm). There is also a Triage Symptom Advice questionnaire that you may wish to use instead of eConsult.

In order to have access you will be required to download the form on the link below, print and complete it. Please bring the completed for to the surgery with identification. If you have no photographic ID we may ask you to confirm some information on your medical record.

Please note online access must not be used to request prescriptions for or communicate about other patients, except for those granted proxy access.  Misuse of online access may lead to accounts being suspended.

REQUEST FOR ONLINE ACCESS individual or proxy child (please note, we have increased the age for proxy access for children to 13)

REQUEST FOR ONLINE ACCESS proxy adult

Important information-Medical Record Access

Prospective Online Record Access

Wareham Surgery is committed to the concept of patients being able to access their own medical information to enable them to be fully informed and take responsibility for their health. However, the current plan to grant full access from 01 November 2022 by NHS England causes concern as we are not confident that the clinical systems are fit for purpose yet.

There are several risks here. The use of medical language and abbreviations, present in most records, can reduce readability for patients, which can result in further consultations for an explanation. The more significant risk is of correspondence being seen by patients that includes third party or sensitive information that could potentially cause harm. What constitutes as sensitive can vary from patient to patient and over time (e.g. “I have just received a CT result which shows cancer, so will meet Mrs Bloggs next week to inform her” is sensitive only until she has received the news). Safeguarding data is particularly sensitive, especially where there is concern around domestic violence, coercion or fabricated illness by proxy. The assumption has to be that the records will be viewed by the perpetrator.

Patients will be able to request access to medical information via online access and we will endeavour to grant access on a case-by-case basis in a timely manner. This involves a check of the medical records to ensure that there is nothing that would harm the patient or breach confidentiality of a third party.

The huge post-Covid demands continue to be very challenging. Taking the time to check patient records could add significant delays to appointment availability, as we have not been given any new resources to address this task.