People across the North Yorkshire region will be given greater control of their health and care information, thanks to a new digital service launched by York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. 

The Trust has introduced a new patient-powered digital service accredited by the NHS - Patients Know Best (PKB). Designed to improve patient experience, it offers online access to personal health records to revolutionise the way patients access and use NHS services.

The service integrates patient data from existing IT systems - from local hospitals, GP surgeries, social care, and mental health services, to create one complete, ‘live’ health record.

James Taylor, Medical Director at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital NHS Trust said: “Patients Know Best is hosted within the NHS network, so it’s just as secure as the information we as a hospital hold about patients. We chose this system because it meets the stringent NHS requirements for health record systems and is fully compliant with the Data Protection Legislation 2018.

“All personal and health information is encrypted, with PKB only having access to your NHS number. This means only you and the people you choose can access your health information. It’s a bit like online banking, but instead, you use it to manage your health, regardless of which hospital holds your information. 

“Patients of the Trust can now access all their outpatient appointments from any device.  In the near future they will also be able to view their medical letters, test results, care plans and hospital discharge information, offering patients an active role in tracking and monitoring their health.

“This is also good news for health and care teams. A shared record also means patients will no longer need to duplicate tests for different providers and it improves clinical decision-making and access to more personalised care, even in emergencies.”

The Trust has been communicating the rollout of PKB to patients for a number of weeks, mainly by email. In the coming weeks the Trust will be sending further communications by letter, text message, email, social media and other channels, to spread the message to as many patients and stakeholders as possible. This will allow the Trust to share information with patients over time, helping to create the most holistic patient health record ever.  

Anyone who does not want to access their information online will continue to receive their letters and care in the usual way.

For more information about how to access your health record securely online with Patients Know Best, visit the Trust’s website under Your Visit/Patient Knows Best or visit: www.yorkhospitals.nhs.uk/your-visit/my-health-record.

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