PatientAccess

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Docb

Docb

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I have been using PatientAccess for a few years now to order medication, check test results and make appointments and has been very useful. Technology doing what it is supposed to do, automating routine stuff. I have often on the forum suggested that people find out if their surgery uses it and recommended signing up if they do.

I tried to log in to it yesterday and they have now changed the "authentication" system and now when you try to log in, instead of being asked for random letters from a password, you are sent an authentication code by sms. All well and good unless you either don't have a mobile phone or like me have a mobile phone but live in an area with no mobile phone signal.

I have e mailed Patient Access and their reply can best be summarised as - yes we know, tough luck, not our problem, complain to your surgery. I have contacted my surgery to see what they have to say.

I suggest any PatientAccess users who live in rural areas where mobile coverage is poor check to see if they still have access to their surgery. Don't leave it until you need medication urgently and the only option is to join an endless phone queue when the surgery next opens.

Any enthusiasm I have expressed in the past for this system needs to be tempered.
 
Yep - just tried mine and it's first asked me for 3 random letters from my memorable word, as usual, then sent me an OTP.
 
Thank goodness my Surgery still offers the old fashioned unique user name followed by a unique password on the PC/Laptop. I hope they don't change.
 
My surgery uses System Online, at present it uses login and password. Though I have noticed when using the NHS app it occasionally sends a verification code aswell login and password,
 
I’d noticed that, the last couple of times I’ve logged in. First time caught me by surprise, I remembered late on Sunday evening when I was already in bed, that Id forgotten to order my repeat, so quickly hopped on to my ipad to do it before I switched the light off, and had to go all the way downstairs to get my mobile (which I don’t take to bed with me) to look up the OTP. At least I get a signal in the house, I’m wondering whether to swap to the NHS App which currently doesn’t seem to do that.
Edit. Just read @grovesy 's post properly, maybe the NHS are starting too, I certainly didn’t have to use a OTP the last couple of times.
 
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I appreciate it is challenging when you have no mobile access but I suspect these guys are stuck between a rock and a hard place. They get complaints if you need mobile access and they get complaints if they are not secure enough.
However, are you not able to receive SMS over wifi? I do not need mobile access to get SMS - even though I live in a city, coverage is patchy but this does not cause any issues because I get mobile services over the house wifi so I only get issues when I am away from all technology.

My surgery just uses the NHS app for everything from checking test results to ordering a repeat prescription. I just need a finger to log in.
 
I moved to the NHS app after general dissatisfaction with Patient Access.

I can confirm that the NHS app last night was still NOT needing any independent verification code. I use fingerprint verification to allow me to open the app and do this on my mobile android phone.

That said I think neither Patient Access nor the NHS apps are anything more than moderate. Each is clumsy, tortuous and each seems to be dependent on how well the Surgery populates my data, such as test results, onto the database as well as how promptly prescription requests are authorised by the Surgery. Some get approved the next day others can take a full week, regardless of how routine such repeat requests are.
 
Have you tried the NHS app? I used Patient Access for a long while but my surgery didn't sign up to their automated test results bit of it so I swapped to the NHS app. I find it much easier to use and the authentication is much better.
 
Proud to be erratic said:
Each is clumsy, tortuous and each seems to be dependent on how well the Surgery populates my data, such as test results, onto the database
Click to expand...
I know what you mean, if the hospital request blood tests ahead of a diabetes review, I have to wait for the hospital to send an electronic letter through to the surgery with the results, and it might appear under 'Test results', 'Documents' or 'Consultations' and not consistently under the same one.
 
NHS app wanted to send me an sms for verification.

And I am going to explore getting sms messages on my PC but at first sight this needs my phone to get the message first which is a showstopper!
 
Deb_l said:
Have you tried the NHS app? I used Patient Access for a long while but my surgery didn't sign up to their automated test results bit of it so I swapped to the NHS app. I find it much easier to use and the authentication is much better.
Click to expand...

Did you have to go into your surgery with endless ID stuff to swap to the NHS app @Deb_l ?
 
I'm afraid I don't remember precisely how I set myself up with my Surgery and the NHS app. At that time I only had my mobile and we'd just moved to a town in a new County. Perhaps I went through the "identify yourself" routine with the Surgery whilst just logging on to the NHS app for here; I'd previously installed that app as an outgoing patient from my former Surgery and the app recognised my identity. But the finger print works fine. I now have an android tablet and the NHS app is on there, but so far I haven't tried that route; and our dated PC remains packed away until there is space to unpack it.

[Secretly I'm hoping there is never space for the PC; we've managed well enough for 8 months on phones and tablets and there really isn't an obvious home for a PC even after our daughter, s-i-l and grandson move 100m up the road and leave us free to spread out!] [A laptop perhaps?]
 
Inka said:
Did you have to go into your surgery with endless ID stuff to swap to the NHS app @Deb_l ?
Click to expand...
I don’t think I had to do anything with the surgery for the NHS App. I’d already got Patient Access, which was a right palaver to set up, with trips to the surgery with ID, and getting codes from them etc, but I'm sure the NHS App could all be done on my mobile with the info I’d got handy at home.

How to set up NHS login

help.login.nhs.uk help.login.nhs.uk
 
Inka said:
Did you have to go into your surgery with endless ID stuff to swap to the NHS app @Deb_l ?
Click to expand...
No, not at all. Just the usual email, NHS number and password and it uses Face ID off my phone to log in, which is even more convenient.
 
Are you sure it’s not just your phone settings that need changing so you receive texts over wifi?
 
Lucyr said:
Are you sure it’s not just your phone settings that need changing so you receive texts over wifi?
Click to expand...
My phone cannot receive texts over WiFi - should have thought of that when i bought it!
 
I commented on this change a week ago but cannot find it at the moment! At the time I had had to pass a stupid Captcha, do the usual email and password, and after the random letters get my phone which wasn't handy as it was in charge. I remember when you could post a request, it was delivered the surgery the next day and you could collect the prescription at your nominated pharmacy a couple of days later and there were no shortages!
 
MikeyBikey said:
I commented on this change a week ago but cannot find it at the moment! At the time I had had to pass a stupid Captcha, do the usual email and password, and after the random letters get my phone which wasn't handy as it was in charge. I remember when you could post a request, it was delivered the surgery the next day and you could collect the prescription at your nominated pharmacy a couple of days later and there were no shortages!
Click to expand...
How the world has improved with the blessings of modern technology @MikeyBikey. My son-in-law is constantly reminding me that modern tech is fantastic these days and is blind to the modern limitations that only 80% works and virtually nothing delivers what is promised these days. I'm increasingly seeing my father in the mirror!
 
Docb said:
I have been using PatientAccess for a few years now to order medication, check test results and make appointments and has been very useful. Technology doing what it is supposed to do, automating routine stuff. I have often on the forum suggested that people find out if their surgery uses it and recommended signing up if they do.

I tried to log in to it yesterday and they have now changed the "authentication" system and now when you try to log in, instead of being asked for random letters from a password, you are sent an authentication code by sms. All well and good unless you either don't have a mobile phone or like me have a mobile phone but live in an area with no mobile phone signal.

I have e mailed Patient Access and their reply can best be summarised as - yes we know, tough luck, not our problem, complain to your surgery. I have contacted my surgery to see what they have to say.

I suggest any PatientAccess users who live in rural areas where mobile coverage is poor check to see if they still have access to their surgery. Don't leave it until you need medication urgently and the only option is to join an endless phone queue when the surgery next opens.

Any enthusiasm I have expressed in the past for this system needs to be tempered.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the info. Just checked PA and yes, I was sent a code.
 
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