In keeping with the Long Term Plan, we are building new infrastructures for the NHS which support the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s Vision for Technology.

NHS login supports local health and care services in meeting the need:

• for services that expose or provide direct access for patients to sensitive information, such as health records, test results or existing prescriptions
• for patients to access services provided by multiple providers without having to prove who they are for each individual service
• for patients to access services in a safe, trusted and consistent way 

GP practices are set to benefit from the majority of their patients being able to prove who they are through NHS login rather than by coming into practices.

Some patients will not have suitable photo ID, or the GP Online registration details they need. These patients will still need GP practices to verify their identity (in line with existing RCGP guidelines) and register them for a GP Online account, or provide their registration details again. But increasing numbers of patients can prove who they are themselves, at home or on the move.  

This will free up valuable time for GP practice staff to support patients in other ways.

The NHS login process for people to prove who they are is continually improving using feedback from users.