What is the difference between NHS app and Patient Access app? URGENT!!

Posted by Usual_Film_7220@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 25 comments

sooo i need to keep track of my grandmas repeat prescriptions but it won’t let me sign up on the nhs app since i have an account set up of my own…

i found an alternative app called Patient Access and i was wondering what the differences are?

will i be able to request for her repeat presentation when she runs out and will i be able to keep track of how much medication she has left? HELPPP

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DimensionMajor7506@reddit

There’s a section of the NHS app where you can manage health services for others, but it only works if you’re both registered at the same GP, and will need to contact them to set it up.

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NevilleLurcher@reddit

You don't need to be at the same practice (I've got my Mam on mine to help her out occasionally)

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DimensionMajor7506@reddit

Idk man, never used it myself, was just going off what the app said :

Add people

Contact your GP surgery to:

apply to access services for someone else

give someone you trust access to your services

You can only add people at the same GP surgery as you.

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Usual_Film_7220@reddit (OP)

omg that’s genius, i didn’t even know that could be an option 😭

what will that look like on the app though? will her info be on the same pages as mine?

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Euffy@reddit

Off the top of my head, Patient Access is what you use to make appointments and stuff, but it's all linked to your NHS app anyway.

Can't you make her an account on a laptop or something?

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thecleaner78@reddit

Or use a browser on the phone?

Slightly longer term, OP might be able to link grandma's account to hers to manage all under her account. I do that with my kids. Ask the surgery reception

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I often have issues where if I use a phone browser to open a website for an app that I have it automatically opens the app instead. Sometimes I can get round it but sometimes the phone absolutely refuses.

I'm sure there is some sort of tech way round it, but not sure if that would help OP if they're already struggling...

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Usual_Film_7220@reddit (OP)

EXACTLY!! it just takes me back to the app and wants me to log in? like why is there no signing up option

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Jee187@reddit

If you have an Android phone have a look for an app called "Secure Folder", it should be pre-installed so you wont need to look for it in the Play Store. If you open it, click the + icon and add the NHS/Patient Access app it installs a copy of the app which is seperate from any apps you have installed outside of Secure Folder.

Now you can manage two of the same app that are signed in to different accounts, I use this for a social app called Discord and it works a treat.

If you're on iPhone I'm not sure if there's an equivalent.

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Usual_Film_7220@reddit (OP)

how long does the process take once i call the surgery to do this?

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thecleaner78@reddit

I had to take ID into the surgery and it prob took a week for it to be processed

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Willeth@reddit

You can sign in as a different account on the NHS app. It's quite a scary option of "delete my NHS account", but all it means is deleting app access. You can then sign in as your grandma and order repeats, and repeat the process to sign in as yourself again. All your info will be intact and saved.

Alternatively, some pharmacies will manage the repeat ordering themselves, so it can happen automatically.

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Usual_Film_7220@reddit (OP)

her pharmacy used to manage her orders because they also provided free deliveries but now they’re charging for delivery (we’d rather not pay for delivery) so we’ve decided i could just go and pick her meds up each time

that’s why they expect me to manage the orders… so it’s just a pharmacy thing? i thought this was a new nhs policy for patients who can’t have free deliveries :/

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Willeth@reddit

Once the doctor has passed the prescription onto the pharmacy it's completely in their hands. Mine has offered to order for me on multiple occasions and not mentioned anything about delivery.

Might be that they'd be willing to do the repeat ordering automatically and just expect you to pick it up instead. You'll be able to match your visits to whatever cadence they use for orders, they may even notify you by text.

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Usual_Film_7220@reddit (OP)

what’s confusing me is that they used to do the automatic ordering but now they want me to do it but my thing is how will i know when to make an order when i don’t even have info on when she’ll be running out of meds (she’s on a weekly supply so i pick her meds up every wednesday)

the pharmacists at that place are so helpless and they act like they don’t wanna deal with u, everything seems so rushed and they just confuse me even more with new info 😭

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TheMotherCarrot@reddit

How come she's on weekly? Most places do 28 days. It might be worth speaking to the prescription team at her surgery. They will have experience of this. Does the pharmacist put them in dosette boxes for her, where they separate them into individual doses, or do they come in normal boxes?

I feel your pain - I have been doing this for my mum for about 16 years, and it took a while to get everything straight. Then of course, meds get changed over the years and you have to get them in order too.

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Usual_Film_7220@reddit (OP)

I WISH I KNEW WHY 😒

before the new year started they would always give her a months worth of supply but now they’ve changed it to weekly…

yeah they do dosette boxes which is why i’m having to put up with them because many other places aren’t doing those anymore

i can’t imagine doing this for 16 years wow 👏

i have adhd so it’s hard for me to be responsible for myself let alone someone else and it gets really frustrating for me since i’m not great with taking information in or being able to explain things properly and i suck at keeping up with things, no one else in my family has a flexible schedule like me so it’s on me to keep up with her meds but i’m slowly getting fed up with how the pharmacy policy keeps on changing, it’s just a smack in the face when you show up to their place and they throw new info at you and your brain isn’t being able to absorb any of it 😭

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TheMotherCarrot@reddit

They should be able to give you 4 weeks of dosette boxes at a time. The GP prescribes 28 days so they should issue it.

Don't beat yourself up about keeping on top of it. It sounds like it should be a small, easy job, but add that to all the other small & supposedly easy things you are also doing, and it can easily get too much. I'm also neurodivergent, as are both my children, and my calendar app on my phone is my lifesaver. I have reminders set tell me to order prescriptions, to pick them up, appointments and all the rest.

Speak to the prescription or medicine team at your Gran's surgery, find out exactly the pharmacy should be doing then insist they do it. Good luck x

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Willeth@reddit

I'd advise talking to them about it, but it sounds like that won't go anywhere. You can change pharmacists perhaps?

It sounds like she's on a weekly cadence - if that's the case could you order weekly and not have to worry about when she's running out specifically?

Your doctor may also allow you to change the amount you can get at once. I have my pills on a two-month cycle.

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Usual_Film_7220@reddit (OP)

i wouldn’t need to order weekly since they’re already available, the gp sends her meds out to them in batches and i just need to pick her meds up weekly since the doses are weekly supplies, once the batch is finished it’s now on me to request the gp for another order which again makes no sense to me when the pharmacists can just do it themselves 🤣

am i making sense here?

i would love to change pharmacy but this is the only local one that does dosette boxes, other places dont and it’s too much hassle for her that way, the pharmacy was running so well when they had their old staff but everyone keeps leaving

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TheMotherCarrot@reddit

I use both, but only because the Patient Access one predates the NHS one at my surgery. You would need to see if her surgery uses that app.

You can register as someone's carer with their permission, and add them to your NHS app, but again, you would need to speak with her surgery. Good luck.

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Usual_Film_7220@reddit (OP)

i’ll see if i can sign in as her on the PA, do they ask for ID?

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