Patients Know Best (PKB) is completing integration with the GP record for patients in England. It means the PKB record will automatically store for a patient a copy of the data the GP has released to that patient. This is using the IM1 Patient Facing Services (PFS) API.

PKB is integrating with both EMIS and TPP, covering 100% of GP surgeries in England. A phased rollout is expected to start from January 2025.

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What GP data will PKB store for the patient?

PKB will store data the GP practice has already authorised for release to the patient. This is the same dataset the patient can see in the NHS App.

In Phase 1, users will start to be able to see demographic, appointment, medication, and diagnoses (conditions) data from their GP Practice. PKB will also store for the patient the GP observations (including measurements and test results), allergies & immunisations. These will be available via our FHIR APIs when the patient shares their PKB record.

In Phase 2, the patient will see more data from Phase 1 in the PKB user interface (UI) & we will be storing documents.

Phase 1: GP appointments, conditions and medications

Phase 2: Patient can see full GP data

What will the patient journey look like?

What does the patient need to do?

There is one-time one-step process for the patient. The patient has to log in with the NHS login and choose 'Get my GP data'.

The NHS login is only necessary this one time to allow storing GP data. After that the patient can log in any way they prefer, including with the PKB login.

Does the patient need to obtain credentials from their GP Practice?

No. Using NHS login means neither the GP practice nor the patient needs to spend time on credentials.

When is GP data updated?

Whenever a patient logs in, PKB pulls the latest GP record. The patient can use PKB login or NHS login.

Why can’t a patient see GP data?

There are several reasons that could account for a patient not seeing their GP data in PKB:

1. Patient not used NHS login: The patient has not logged in with NHS login to trigger the data integration

2. Patient chose Not now: The patient chose ‘Not now' when prompted to get their GP data during the login process. The patient will be prompted with the 'Get your GP data’ screen again one month after selecting ‘Not now'

3. PKB completing data retrieval: Retrieving and showing GP data can take PKB a few minutes. It varies based on factors such as record size and demand at the time.

4. GP not switching on online services: Patients must have online services set up at their GP Practice. If a patient does not have an online services account, the patient should contact their GP Practice to request access to online services. See the sections below on How can a patient request access to online services and How does a GP practice enable online services for a patient.

5. GP does not have data: If a patient has recently registered at a GP Practice, there may not be GP data available in the patient's record yet.

6. GP not releasing data: The GP Practice has not permitted the release of the patient's online services data within their clinical system. Individual items can been restricted e.g. a single diagnosis (condition), a service can be restricted e.g. all diagnoses (conditions), or date range restrictions can be applied by the GP Practice to only allow release of data after a specified date. Patients are encouraged to contact their GP Practice directly to request access to their online services data. GP surgeries are required to give all patients in England online access to new information as it is added to their GP health record since 31st October 2023 (unless a patient has individually decided to opt out, or any exceptions apply).

How can a patient request access to online services?

GP practices usually require patients to attend the GP practice in person with at least one form of ID e.g. drivers license, passport or birth certificate to enable online services.

How does a GP practice enable online services for a patient?

• EMIS: the EMIS GP Practice users online services guide has training resources from EMIS, as well as step by step instructions created for EMIS GP Practice users by PKB.

• SystmOne: the SystmOne GP Practice users online services guide has training resources from TPP SystmOne, as well as step by step instructions created for SystmOne GP Practice users by PKB.

How can a GP practice increase online services access for a patient?

• EMIS: the EMIS GP Practice users online services guide has training resources from EMIS, as well as step by step instructions created for EMIS GP Practice users by PKB.

• SystmOne: the SystmOne GP Practice users online services guide has training resources from TPP SystmOne, as well as step by step instructions created for SystmOne GP Practice users by PKB.

How can a GP practice reset online services for a patient?

• EMIS: the EMIS GP Practice users online services guide has training resources from EMIS, as well as step by step instructions created for EMIS GP Practice users by PKB.

• SystmOne: the SystmOne GP Practice users online services guide has training resources from TPP SystmOne, as well as step by step instructions created for SystmOne GP Practice users by PKB.

Data quality

Will there be duplicated GP data from multiple sources?

PKB receives data from multiple sources about each patient. In some regions this can include multiple copies of a patient’s GP record. We keep all this data in the record for each patient to ensure maximal coverage for all patients.

PKB only shows one copy of GP data to the patient. PKB prioritises EMIS IM1 bulk extract service data over the data from the EMIS IM1 PFS API integration. This is because the bulk extract service data is more accurate (with original codes); more frequent (updated daily); and more comprehensive (it goes beyond data manually released to the patient).

Why is a past medication showing as current?

PKB determines whether a medication is current or past based on the status and end date. Currently, TPP’s SystmOne provides neither status nor end date for medications via the PFS API. For now, PKB will display all medications from SystmOne as current medications. PKB has raised this with both TPP and NHS England.

Why is is a past diagnosis showing as current?

PKB determines whether a diagnosis is current or past based on the status and end date. Currently, TPP’s SystmOne provides neither status nor end date for diagnoses via the PFS API. For now, PKB will display all diagnoses from SystmOne as current medications. PKB has raised this with both TPP and NHS England.

How can a patient find out which patient record system their GP Practice uses?

A patient can ask their GP Practice what patient record system they’re using e.g. SystmOne or EMIS.

Information governance

Who gives permission to store GP data in PKB in PKB?

NHS England (NHSE). NHSE and the GP Practice are the co-controllers to GP-entered data. NHSE oversee the IM1 integration process and assure every use case and product for the use of the IM1 PFS API. PKB is showing data as a processor on behalf of NHS England.

The data PKB is showing is GP-entered data that the GP Practice has released for the patient to see.

What are the privacy labels for GP data?

Appointments and medications automatically have the 'general health' privacy label. PKB maps diagnoses to privacy labels using SNOMED CT codes. For SNOMED CT codes that the PKB clinical team has not yet mapped, PKB software defaults to 'Privacy label not set'. The PKB clinical team regularly maps new SNOMED CT codes as they arrive.

Only patients or individuals with consent to see all four privacy labels can see unmapped diagnoses.

Patients can manually change this privacy label if they wish. To find more information on how to change a privacy label here.