Patients Know Best (PKB)

Patients Know Best (PKB): This is a patient-facing portal, accessed through the NHS app or online for patients in Sussex. PKB allows you to view your health records, book appointments, and communicate with your clinicians. It is designed to give you more control and visibility over your health information. 

This is a national app provided by the NHS that allows you to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet. Through the NHS app, you can book GP appointments, order repeat prescriptions, and view your GP medical records. 

Want to hear how My Health and Care Record has already benefitted patients in Sussex?

Juliet, an active grandmother of three, enjoys spending time outdoors with her family. Having always led an active life, in the last few years, she has come to see her GP more regularly for a few ongoing health (to manage her arthritis, type two diabetes and cholesterol). 

In order to maintain her love of outdoor activities, she is managing to keep track of her health by viewing her appointment letters, x ray reports and blood results on her my health and care record. 

“As much as I’d like to think my body hasn’t changed, my health has slowed me down in the past few years. My husband and I like to travel and we’re often away from home, so being able to keep track my appointments without needing to wait at home for a letter has been brilliant. It’s also been quite helpful to be able to view my blood results online and not have to bother my GP practice calling them for the results. After seeing how easy it is to use, even my husband has registered and he’s still using the landline! It’s also been rather helpful giving my daughter permission to see my appointments as I have to admit my memory isn’t what it used to be, so she is helping to keep me on track!”

Yes, if you choose to. You can add them as a carer on your record. They can then view your record via the sharing tab on their own record.

This depends on the type of information. For example, clinic and appointment letters will be available after a few days. Radiology reports are released after 28 days. For blood tests, most are released after a few days, but some results are withheld for 28 days to allow your clinician time to discuss the results with you first.

Appointment data will be available immediately as soon as it is booked by the trust. Appointment letters take 24 hours to appear, other letters can take a little longer depending on how long it take the teams to type up the discharge summaries.

Patients Know Best is completely optional but there are many benefits to patients having access to their own online personal health record and who want to share their information with their choice of clinicians, carers and family members. If you choose not to register, you will receive your appointment letters and clinical communication through the post in exactly the same way as before.

If you wish to object to your healthcare information being stored in the PKB application, please contact the Trust’s Data Protection Officer by emailing:  [email protected].

When you register, you will be asked to provide an email address. A notification is sent to this email address when new information is available.

An internet enabled device and an email address. With help to sign in or register, see our Patient Knows Best Manual.

Yes. Your data is encrypted and maintained in line with University Hospitals Sussex Trust Data Protection Policies. Your data is not held on your computer device. Patient information is encrypted so that only those people with consent to view your information can do so.

If you have any questions about your health, you should contact your clinical team or GP. If your question concerns the PKB platform, you can email the team at [email protected]. If you are having difficulty registering access the Patient Knows Best manual.  

Patients are able to access Lab Tests Online which provides explanatory information about blood test results. The link to this website can also be found on the My Health and Care Record interface. We have seen patients’ confidence and understanding growing over time.

Patients Know Best is a patient engagement portal which can be accessed online via the PKB login page and also via the NHS App. My Health and Care Record is available within the NHS App.

Every patient has different needs, and we would recommend using MHCR as frequently as required. There are several features that allow you to monitor and take control of your health that you may find useful. These are a journal and symptom tracker and the ability to connect to your devices.

We are continually listening to our patients to find out their preferred features. Our recent survey informed us that the most popular new feature is the ability to manage appointments online. We are looking into how we are going to develop this functionality.