A trusted person (also known as a proxy) may be able to act for the person they care for, by:
- ordering repeat prescriptions
- booking appointments
- contacting the surgery or speaking to surgery staff
- viewing test results or vaccinations
- accessing all or part of the GP health record, to help with health-related tasks and managing health issues
Reasons for family and carer access
Reasons for wanting or needing family and carer access could include:
- having a physical or mental health condition
- technical barriers, for example not having a computer or a smartphone
- language barriers, for example if it's not easy to access services in English
- practical reasons, for example working shifts or unsocial hours
- age, for example a child may need a parent to manage their GP services
If you're aged 16 or over, you can ask for someone to be your trusted person for any reason. It does not stop you having access to your GP services yourself.
If you help someone else with prescriptions, booking appointments or managing their health and care, getting family and carer access could make it easier and more convenient.