Getting our new patient system ready
Changes are underway to help improve health records access for patients, with preparations for the launch of a new online patient portal, Patients Know Best (PKB).
Patients aged 16 or over, who have used services within the past three years, will be the first to have their demographic information uploaded to the PKB system; that’s their name, date of birth, gender and NHS number.
It's vitally important to maintain accurate records for patients, with the demographic information being uploaded to PKB based on the patient’s most recent activity with Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSEFT) and checked against the NHS Personal Demographics Service (PDS), meaning it should be the most up-to-date information the NHS holds about patients.
If patients have already registered with PKB or used the system previously with another healthcare provider, they will receive auto-generated email notifications from PKB as soon as new information is added to their record by MSEFT and then again, once it has been attached to the appropriate team at the Trust. Both emails come from no-reply-uk@patientsknowbest.com address and explain why they are being sent so that they are not considered spam.
This preparation is necessary so that more health information can be shared with patients digitally in the future, such as upcoming appointment details, in-patient discharge summaries and test results, but this will take some time to deliver.
The system will also allow patients to securely share information digitally with those who are helping in their care, such as their GP, pharmacist, family members, carers, or anyone else supporting them.
If you have any questions about PKB, or if you come across any inaccuracies in your records, please visit our website or contact mse.pkb@nhs.net. We kindly ask that you include your NHS number in this email so that we can identify you in our databases.