Patient online and GP online services

Patient online, which later evolved into GP online services, was the start of patients in England having digital access to GP services and their GP medical record.

At the time, GP systems were moving from individual practice held servers to central, national servers, hosted and maintained by the clinical system supplier. It was not possible for GP practices to share access with anyone not connected to their server. Opening up access to patients so they could book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and view part of their medical record, was, for many, a culture shock.

Patient online and later the GP online services programme provided guidance and support to both GP practices and patients.