A number of disgruntled users of the Patient Access service have taken to social media to complain of a number of problems.
The Patient Access website and app allow patients to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and view their medical record.
However, when the site went down on 30 May, users were left unable to log in.
One Twitter user tweeted Health and Social Care Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, directly.
They said: “Can you sort out the NHS Patient Access website and app. The latest update today 30th May has crashed the system.
“Can’t log in to the website or app to book appointments; prescriptions etc. Don’t they test things before rolling them out?”
Another tweeted to complain that they and their family were also unable to log in.
Neil Bennett, service director, live services at NHS Digital, confirmed that the Patient Access service was “unavailable” between 3.30pm on 30 May and 2.30pm on 31 May.
Bennet said the unavailability of the service was due to an update on the site, which is powered by EMIS, and NHS Digital worked with the supplier to help resolve the issue.
Patient Access issued an apology on Twitter.
The tweet read: “Since launching the new service, we have experienced an unprecedented level of demand which has unfortunately created some challenges around logging in and load times.
“Our engineering team are working around the clock to fix the issue and get more capacity onto the system, which we hope to have resolved soon. Please rest assured that fixing this issue is our highest priority and that your patient data is safe.”
Comments for this story have been switched off.
14 June 2018 @ 11:24
Another vote of no confidence in Patient (No)Access. Can’t login, amend login details or re-register. Please do not waste any time or resources on spurious replies, just FIX IT.
14 June 2018 @ 11:33
Or do what I did sign up with evergreen life which does EXACTLY what patient access does but works as this isn’t going to be fixed anytime soon!!
14 June 2018 @ 10:20
Thoroughly agree – maybe a case for Watchdog or Steph McGovern from the BBC as she seems to know how to get things moving in a positive way! Admirable lady.
14 June 2018 @ 10:41
I have emailed Jeremy Hunt but don’t know whether it will get through his staff. I tried to get to the Care Quality Commission but the web site is down.
14 June 2018 @ 10:20
So what is the appropriate forum for discussion and comment??
Honestly I love the new system, it’s changed my life, well apart from the bits that don’t work and the frustration and anger I now have. Seriously what is the reason for stopping new comments? It’s a measure of how crap things are that they keep appearing. They will stop appearing all by themselves if the problems are sorted, simple.
14 June 2018 @ 09:02
I have used this system for a long time. It worked perfectly. Then they announced improvement. Locked out. Tried to re-register with letter from practise, multiple times. Not possible. Support centre being run by robot. Constant reassurances that everything is alright except for the defective human patients they have to deal with.
I will try other systems
14 June 2018 @ 10:22
Having same problem as you today – unable to access any way- and difficulty getting through to practice- no patient access phone number, What usually takes a minute or so I have wasted at least 45 minutes on and still no solution. What on earth is going on?
13 June 2018 @ 20:31
Everyone is fed up with this farce of a system! Tell you to email support yet they don’t reply. Nothing is being done to rectify THEIR error.
Grrr!!!
13 June 2018 @ 20:24
signed in for first time today, unaware of the change. What a farce !! Didn’t recognise me or my phone number. Had to go through the surgery and personal detail route to make a start – eventually. AT WHICH POINT IT TOLD ME NOTIFICATIONS SENT TO MY PHONE AND EMAIL which it didn’t recognise. WTF, send the six year olds who came up with this back to school and give us back the previous system
14 June 2018 @ 07:38
HI EVERYONE- FOR THOSE WHO ARE STILL STRUGGLING- I HAVE JUST PUT MY DETAILS INTO EVERGREEN LIFE. SAME PRINCIPLE AS PATIENT ACCESS – BOOK APPOINTMENTS-ORDER TABLETS ETC !!!! BASIC SITE BUT IT WORKS!!!!!!
HAVE MANAGED TO ORDER MY TABS AND BOOK APPOINTMENT.
HOPE THIS HELPS AS I THOUGHT YOU HAD TO USE PATIENT ACCESS ONLY XX
13 June 2018 @ 18:36
Glad to see it’s not just me.
13 June 2018 @ 12:08
Perhaps this app was created by the same team that caused the TSB fiasco. Two weeks now and it still doesn’t work. I hate to think how much money has been wasted on this supposed update… Thanks Emis!😖
13 June 2018 @ 12:05
I had continual problems with the old website, but this new one seems like a complete joke.
I had my old details automatically pre-filling on my laptop for the old site. They have now gone.
It does not recognise my e-mail address. Apparently this was a fault in Northern Ireland, and reported as fixed. I am in Northern Ireland, It is still not fixed.
If details are not known (because they stored for the old site on the laptop), this is OK if living in England, but not Northern Ireland or Scotland. Wales? It isn’t even mentioned.
The whole thing is enough to give someone high blood pressure, never-mind requesting repeat prescriptions.
As I said, it’s a joke – and probably an expensive one at that.
13 June 2018 @ 08:35
On receiving an automated reply to reset password and user Id which the system allowed, surprise, surprise, I am still NOT recognised. I feel for me the best thing is to forget this facility ever existed and to go back to long telephone calls to my surgery. The main positive about the system, when it worked, was the ability to choose convenient times to visit my doctor without having to wait ages to get through to receptionists. So for me Patient Access no longer figures in my life.
12 June 2018 @ 22:17
So much for new privacy law! At least you can access the website still struggling grr! Though from what you say God help us!!
12 June 2018 @ 20:26
For the amusement of people reading this page, one of the significant failings of the system, as it applies to my GP practice, that I would have reported if the query reporting system would accept my report, is that the booking process and historical bookings record process shows times but not dates, so you can book an appointment at a particular time but not know the date of the appointment, and all the historical records of events show times but not dates. An appointment system that can not do dates – you could not make it up !!
12 June 2018 @ 20:03
The support team contact system will still not accept my query form. I have been using complex computer systems since the 1960s and my son is a computer programmer of longstanding and neither of us has ever seen anything as incompetent as this allegedly new and improved system. Please revert to the old system; it worked without wasting more money.
12 June 2018 @ 19:36
Patient Access Support Team replied to me “Hello George,
We were back online on the 31st of May. If your still having trouble getting access just let me know and we’ll help – https://support.patientaccess.com/contact-support” However, when I completed the form as directed, with screenshots, etc and pressed “Submit” it did not submit. Is this query system just a scam to keep the public deceived that something is being done about. the failings.
12 June 2018 @ 19:36
FROM YOUR OWN WEBSITE:
“We provide multi award-winning websites and apps that give trusted health information, secure access to health records and empower patients to manage their own health”.
So when/why isn’t anything being done?
12 June 2018 @ 19:13
SAME OLD SAME OLD: “BACK ONLINE 31ST MAY” IS SUPPOSED TO MEAN SOMETHING WHEN “THEY’RE BACK ONLINE WITH ASSOCIATED FAULTS AND NOTHING SOLVED”!
12 June 2018 @ 19:11
Note to everyone/EMIS: https://support.patientaccess.com/contact-support
DOES NOT WORK/GET A SOLUTION AND YOU KNOW IT!
12 June 2018 @ 16:37
Why don’t they just revert to the previous system and cancel the “new and unimproved” system that has obviously wasted a boat load of money. It is not rocket science.
12 June 2018 @ 17:30
Hello George,
We were back online on the 31st of May. If your still having trouble getting access just let me know and we’ll help – https://support.patientaccess.com/contact-support
Thanks
12 June 2018 @ 15:25
This is still broken. Why do you keep providing the contact-support page? It’s just an automated response that asks user to do what they’ve already done ad nauseum. This really is a disgrace. How much longer are we going to be locked out of a system that used to work perfectly?
12 June 2018 @ 15:28
Well said! Still had no response from the site only a ticket number and stating case open!!
12 June 2018 @ 11:39
Hello Ruth,
Sounds like you are having trouble logging in. I’m sorry for the inconvenience here.
If your still having trouble let me know and we’ll get this sorted for you -https://support.patientaccess.com/contact-support
12 June 2018 @ 16:15
Well said it is appalling! And we are supposed to trust them with our records!!
12 June 2018 @ 07:55
Won’t recognise my password or user name. To get forgotten password and user name (just incase it was me) you put in the surgery postcode where I am registered to retrieve. Now telling me my surgery doesn’t support patient access! Really !!! REALLY!!!
Absolutely the worst ‘update ever!!! Bring back old system and sack the IT designers! Grrr!!!
12 June 2018 @ 10:02
practice doesn’t support you resetting your password… not patient access…
12 June 2018 @ 10:19
Not asking to change just checking I am putting right one in! From the thread it appears this is not a one off so some system glitch is preventing people logging in!
12 June 2018 @ 11:35
Hello Sandra, Sorry you are having trouble. If the site isn’t recognising your practice then please get in touch with us and we can see what going wrong for you here.
https://support.patientaccess.com/contact-support
12 June 2018 @ 11:40
Have done as per my surgery advice. Also the manager at practice who unfortunately isn’t in for a few days will be chasing up hopefully as they state not happy!
12 June 2018 @ 15:53
And what’s the point of a standard, FAQs page.. obviously a “standard” “REPLY, automated here! What an absolute cheek – how do they get away with this! Nearly as worse.. the Care Commission said, when I rang them, that they have not heard of this problem!
12 June 2018 @ 22:13
This doesn’t work
12 June 2018 @ 01:58
This app does not have the name address of my surgery. The previous version did. I cannot raise an issue. Entering the postcode does not work. The app is NHS England. I live in Scotland. Your practice: blank. We need this to work for everyone. Medicines are important to my family. i like that you change to email for login. I hope the transition will be better. Who are you and what are you doing with my patient records?
11 June 2018 @ 21:22
can’t get to order my son’s urgently needed inhaler- doesn’t recognise password, username or email on his account or mine- what a farce. Don’t know what to do…
12 June 2018 @ 10:01
ring your practice??? not rocket science
12 June 2018 @ 22:21
Most practice won’t accept phone request- so stop being a devils advocate grrr!!
12 June 2018 @ 11:39
Hello Lynn,
Sorry you are having trouble. Have you tried resetting your password? If your still having trouble let me know – https://support.patientaccess.com/contact-support
11 June 2018 @ 18:11
Can’t even get on the second as others not recognised I’d without and with using appp absolutely rubbish back to the stone age again
11 June 2018 @ 17:56
I sent a long email of complaint to ‘info@patientaccess.com’ in reply to their Welcome letter. This was returned today undelivered and
the reason given, ‘Recipient address rejected: Access denied’.
My final request to them was to restore the previous version immediately, as it worked perfectly. Then if they want to develop a different programme, which actually works, it should be independent of the old version. This would give users the right to choose the programme that suits them best.
Further, I don’t like their Cookie conditions that gives Google access to my data.
12 June 2018 @ 11:44
Sorry your email bounced back Robert.
You can message our team here – https://support.patientaccess.com/contact-support
11 June 2018 @ 16:22
I too have tried to log on to the new system keeps saying either wrong id or password. Used patient access for years no problem. Been to surgery today they say they have verified me! and to log on again. Came home tried again – just the same. Its disgusting.
12 June 2018 @ 11:41
Hello Ange,
Sorry to read you can’t log on to the new system.
If your still having trouble let me know and we’ll get this sorted for you -https://support.patientaccess.com/contact-support
11 June 2018 @ 14:24
I decided to try Patient Access last week. What a total farce. I’ve tried every day and first it recognises me, then it doesn’t. When it does recognise me it decides there is a system error. Frustrating or what?!!!!
11 June 2018 @ 14:08
New system does not tell you when your repeat prescription will be ready. I had to ring the pharmacy to find out.
12 June 2018 @ 11:42
Hello John,
In the new system you can tell the status of your prescription by the colour – Grey for requested, Green for Accepted and Red for Rejected.
We’ll be adding some text to make this clearer soon.
Thanks for your feedback.
11 June 2018 @ 12:24
Patient access was changed without contacting the surgeries. I have a new letter and cant access the site it says my details don’t match. Spent half a day trying. giving up now. I feel sorry for the people who rely on it. SORT IT OUT.
12 June 2018 @ 11:46
Sorry your having problems Bernie,
If you want us to help you get access just drop us a message here – https://support.patientaccess.com/contact-support
11 June 2018 @ 00:18
Absolutely furious the Patient Access has changed without any notification from Surgery or NHS. My mother who is 97 needs to order her Warfarin Tablets and other crucial medication. What are the patients supposed to do to get back to ordering their medication on line as a repeat prescription?
TOTALLY NOT ACCE:PTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!
12 June 2018 @ 12:00
Hello Jean,
We were back online on the 31st of May. If your still having trouble getting access just let me know – https://support.patientaccess.com/contact-support
Thanks
11 June 2018 @ 00:09
How long is the site going to be down it is so frustrating and I need to be able to use it cos I am very ill and I live out in the country side
11 June 2018 @ 07:02
You should be able to switch to a new ASP (application service provider) i.e. a different organisation that provides you access to your health data. That is a national disgrace but IT can not be blamed on party politicians.
12 June 2018 @ 11:47
Hello Diane,
We were back online on the 31st of May. If your still having trouble getting access just let me know – https://support.patientaccess.com/contact-support
Thanks
10 June 2018 @ 20:20
Patient access to their DATA. is brill but people should have a choice, a choice of who provides their access, that way things will improve – U can not ignore the FACT that in this world NoW consumer choice drives things and makes things … Better, what do U think ?
10 June 2018 @ 17:43
I have exactly the same problem! Not happy I spent 20 minutes holding on to book an appointment for my daughter over the the phone. Don’t have time to do this with work etc. Take a few seconds on line. Now need to book an appointment for myself, dreading it! So frustrating, second complaint I’ve sent (only available through doing a ticket too). Not on.
10 June 2018 @ 09:40
We have just tried to log on to renew tablets and apparently our surgery doesn’t allow that part of the system anymore, we weren’t even informed the site was going to be changing. Very annoyed as this means we will now not get our tablets in time, ridiculous!!
8 June 2018 @ 19:15
8 June and still not able to view my medical record after 4 days trying. Conflicting info from my surgery too – “no need to do anything ” OR “need to physically attend surgery with ID”. Also why were we not told by the surgery there was to be a system change? This is not the first time my surgery has failed to give correct and appropriate intention of changes. Total mismanagement it seems and very frustrating for everyone who relied on the online bookings which did away with having to hang on telephone line endlessly.
8 June 2018 @ 22:03
Same Silvia i can do everything but see the medical records, every time i contact my surgery they either say ‘no one else’s isn’t working’ or ‘you’ll have to speak to the administrator’
12 June 2018 @ 18:11
I went to the admin at my surgery, although she was helpful, she told me it was EMIS’ fault but she helpfully tried re-entering new passwords/e-mails/user IDs etc to no avail. EMIS still not doing the business on this – how do they get away with it? They should have their contract terminated.
12 June 2018 @ 11:54
Hello Sylvia,
Sorry you can’t see your record- If your still having trouble getting access just let me know – https://support.patientaccess.com/contact-support
Thanks
12 June 2018 @ 18:12
Oh look, the standard “non-reply” that is automated and resolves nothing – just to appease the health authorities they’re doing something, which they’re not.