Accessing someone else’s information

As a parent, family member or carer, you may be able to access services for someone else. We call this having proxy access. We can set this up for you if you are both registered with us.

To request proxy access:

  • Use our online form to request a proxy access form
  • Collect a proxy access form from the surgery reception.

Linked profiles in your NHS account

Once proxy access is set up, you can access the other person’s profile in your NHS account, using the NHS App or website.

The NHS website has information about using linked profiles to access services for someone else.

Children have the same legal rights over their data as adults. The GP surgery must get the child’s consent before giving access to their online GP services, if the child is able to understand and make an informed decision. This is called having capacity. 

Children aged 11 or over are usually considered to have the capacity to consent, or refuse access, unless for example they have a medical condition or learning disability that affects their understanding.  
Parent and guardian access usually ends when a child is 11.

If your child wants or needs you to help manage their GP services when they are 11 or over, your GP surgery can set it up again.
Most GP surgeries also have an automatic cut-off age between 11 and 14, where online parent and guardian access is stopped to protect an older child’s confidentiality.

If your access stops, you can ask your GP surgery to restore it, once consent from the child is provided.

Information for under-16s on parents and guardians accessing your doctor’s services

Your parent or someone else that looks after you may want to use apps or websites to:

  • see, book and cancel appointments for you
  • see and order prescriptions for you when you need medicine
  • look at your health record online

They can ask your doctors (your GP surgery) to link your NHS profile to theirs, so they can do this for you. This is sometimes called “parent and guardian proxy access”, or “third party access”.

It lets them manage your health and care for you online while you’re growing up, until you’re old enough to do it on your own.

If you are aged 11 or over, you may be asked to provide your consent before access is given to a parent or guardian.

For more information, please visit the following website: Information for under-16s on parents and guardians accessing your doctor’s services – NHS.