Frequently asked questions (FAQs) – Patients Know Best
How to register for Patients Know Best
How will I be invited to use Patients Know Best?
You will automatically be sent an email to register for Patients Know Best if you currently use or have used one of our services in the past six months.
Can children register to use Patients Know Best, or can I access the health record of my child?
Our Trust will not be using Patients Know Best for people under the age of 16.
Using Patients Know Best
What information will I be able to see in Patients Know Best?
When you register for Patients Know Best you will be able to see any appointments you have booked with our Trust’s services, your demographic details and your allergies. In the future, there may be more information that you will be able to see such as care plans, and leaflets or resources from your healthcare team.
Why can’t I see all my allergies in Patients Know Best?
At the moment you will only be able to see allergies which have been recorded by your healthcare team at our Trust using Patients Know Best. Please be aware that other health and care teams, such as GP practices may also record allergies.
What happens to my care if I choose not to use Patients Know Best?
Your care will not be affected if you choose not to use Patients Know Best. You will not be automatically opted in to use Patients Know Best, it is your choice.
Can I update my information?
You can update information in Patients Know Best which you have added in yourself.
If you need to update other information because it is incorrect (for example a mobile phone number), please contact your healthcare team at our Trust. We will be able to look into this and update our systems, which will also update your information in Patients Know Best.
How do I use Patients Know Best?
We know that it can take time to learn how to use a new system. PKB is simple and easy to use and there is support available to help you.
You can have a look at a video on how to use Patients Know Best on YouTube here.
There is also a step by step guide, and a support guide available on the PKB website.
If you have problems with registering or using Patients Know Best, you can email our support desk at PKB.Enquiries@swyt.nhs.uk. They are open Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm (excluding bank holidays) and will aim to come back to you within two working days.
Your data and information
Is my information secure?
Patients Know Best is compliant with the NHS network, so it’s just as secure as the information your healthcare providers already hold on you. However, it’s unique because it also gives you, the patient, access to your information via any web-enabled device. Patient information is encrypted (or coded) and only people who have permission to view your information can do so.
Who owns my information and data – how do I know that it won’t be shared with other organisations?
Patients Know Best 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 (or coded), with Patients Know Best only having access to your NHS number. This means only you and the people you choose can access your health information.
What happens to my information if I use Patients Know Best and am discharged from one of your services?
When you are discharged from a service all information remains in your record – it’s your record for life.
What if I don’t want to share my information with your Trust at all?
You can disable all sharing of your data. This would mean that health and care professionals involved in your care would not be able to see any information in your Patients Know Best record. They will only be able to see data which they have added themselves.
If you wish to disable sharing, you need to provide consent to make sure that you understand the implications that this may have.
The NHS App
I already look at my record using the NHS App – do I need to use Patients Know Best too?
The NHS App has information from your GP practice, but it does not have information from other NHS organisations. Using Patients Know Best, you can see information from our NHS Trust and your GP practice in one place. You do not need to download another app. You can log in and use Patients Know Best from the NHS App. More information on how to do this can be found in the Patients Know Best online manual.
Giving carers and family access to your Patients Know Best record
How do I give somebody who cares for me, access to my information and how does this work?
Patients Know Best allows you to share your online health record with others who may be involved in your care, this could be family members, carers and loved ones. Within Patients Know Best you can set who you want to have access to your online record. People with access to your record will only be able to view your information, they will not be able to update existing information. However, they can advocate on your behalf and add to your record. If you want to remove someone’s access, you can do this at any time.
Other
What if I don’t have access to a smartphone / laptop?
If you do not have access to a smartphone, laptop or computer to be able to use Patients Know Best, your care will not be affected, and you will continue to get information about your appointments, allergies and demographic details in the same way as you do now.
What if I no longer want to use Patients Know Best?
You can choose to opt-out of using Patients Know Best at any time. You can speak to your healthcare team if you have any further questions about using the service.
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