Patient Access

[XFool]

Why Does Nothing Work Anymore? - Part eleventeen.

My medication is running out and I need to renew my prescription on line. No problem?

There is if you 'use' Patient Access! I've just told them online what I think of them. I was not polite...

Even submitting that complaint was a trial. Trying to log on means dealing with an interminable number of repeating Cookie selector screens plus, despite them having implemented 2FA months ago, via PIN to mobile, they seem to think otherwise. Attempting to log in leads not to 2FA but to a Captcha (which are always US oriented), which leads to another Captcha (why?) which needs to another Captcha (why?) which leads another Captcha (why?) which leads to making a very strong online complaint to 'Support', which leads to...

Yes, you guessed it, a ******* Captcha.

I originally found PA a great boon, not now! They should be closed down (that was the politest extract from my complaint to them).

I tried reordering directly via my NHS Account - it worked! At least it said it was a success, will just have to wait and see.

I had previously rejected using my NHS account, for any number of seeming issues, but it looks as if I may have eventually found a use for it.

Anybody else using PA? How do you find it now?

[XFool]

Thought I would log in to my NHS account. You know, to see how things are 'going'.

First, I logged into my NHS account. But it wasn't my NHS account (been here before), it was my NHS Account.
That is to say it wasn't my actual NHS account, it was my NHS Account that controls my actual NHS Account - if you see what I mean.

Then I tried to log in to my actual NHS Account (rather than my NHS Account that controls my actual NHS Account):

Something went wrong
Please go to the website or app you are trying to use and log in.

Right. That would be my (actual) NHS Account, no?

So... I try to login to my actual (here's hoping) NHS Account again:

You cannot continue
You have asked for a security code too many times.

You must wait up to 15 minutes before trying again.

Yeah, right. Well there's probably a reason for that...

By the cringe!

[UncleEbenezer]

Yeah, right. Well there's probably a reason for that...

By the cringe!

If we can get the old ******'s blood pressure up enough, we may be relieved of the problem.

Seems to be the customary attitude of the NHS.

[XFool]

I worry, amongst other things, that the NHS Account may be the product of 'Agile software development' - as is that of HMRC's Online Digital Tax Account.

Meanwhile, Patient Access appears to me to be deprecating simple logon via PC with 2FA security - in preference to logon via NHS App or the inevitable mobile App. But rather that simply declaring this to be so and announcing the closedown of their 'old fashioned' online access they are going down the road of wanton obstruction in order to deter people.

[Lootman]

If we can get the old ******'s blood pressure up enough, we may be relieved of the problem.

Seems to be the customary attitude of the NHS.

I have wondered if this is all a cunning plan to reduce demand for NHS services by culling the old and weak. Just force people to use an unusable online system for any access to services. Brilliant.

I actually managed, at great effort, to set up my NHS online account a few years ago. Although luckily I have not needed it yet. If I really want something I would walk down to my GP office which, so far, still has a reception desk where you can get stuff done.

[XFool]

Is there some IT law of nature at work here? 'Over time all systems deteriorate.'

Remember the 1980s and those frustrating times on the telephone trying to speak to somebody, anybody, who knew what was going on? Then - the 1990s. In came those truly amazing telephone menu systems:

A. If you want A, press 1
B. If you want B, press 2
C. If you want C, press 3

Wonderful! So simple, so effective. Why didn't anybody think of this before? Move on a few years. Oh dear!

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

Pressing 3 gets you to:

G.
H.
I.
J.
K.

Pressing 2 got you to... etc.

Useless!

Same with original 'Patient Access' - easy log on, get going. Now? Wrote a letter yesterday to the EMIS CEO.
Same with original HMRC 'Online Digital tax Account' - clean and spare. Now? An inconsistent rabbit warren.

[Alaric]

Then I tried to log in to my actual NHS Account (rather than my NHS Account that controls my actual NHS Account):
!

This is the one I use
https://www.nhsapp.service.nhs.uk/login

But I vaguely remember that I needed to get a code from the local GP practice to set it up.

I use it on a laptop, but I believe it would also work on a phone.

It goes straight in without any 2FA bother.

[XFool]

This is the one I use
https://www.nhsapp.service.nhs.uk/login

But I vaguely remember that I needed to get a code from the local GP practice to set it up.

I use it on a laptop, but I believe it would also work on a phone.

It goes straight in without any 2FA bother.

Strange...

[XFool]

This is the one I use
https://www.nhsapp.service.nhs.uk/login

It goes straight in without any 2FA bother.

Ah. You've opted for the "Trust this device in future" option.

[XFool]

So I wrote a letter of complaint to Patient Access and they replied. Mostly all the usual corporate boilerplate.

They did mention an audio version of CAPTCHA was available - never noticed that! Said I could use NHS Login instead, which indeed I tried out and it eventually worked (after some mysterious delay).

Curious thing is, NHS Login works with a user ID, a password and... a PIN texted to mobile. OK. So this is how Patient Access used to work until only a short while ago - no CAPTCHAs. So, if it's good enough for login to Patient Access with NHS credentials why is it now not good enough to login to Patient Access via PA credentials?

They say CAPTCHAs used to guard against automated logins.

Who knows!

[JohnB]

You've never seen an Android app so lambasted in the reviews. They've destroyed their business model with their security obsession. The NHS website works just as well, and stops nagging even for 2FA once you've used it from one device a few times.

[stevensfo]

So I wrote a letter of complaint to Patient Access and they replied. Mostly all the usual corporate boilerplate.

They did mention an audio version of CAPTCHA was available - never noticed that! Said I could use NHS Login instead, which indeed I tried out and it eventually worked (after some mysterious delay).

Curious thing is, NHS Login works with a user ID, a password and... a PIN texted to mobile. OK. So this is how Patient Access used to work until only a short while ago - no CAPTCHAs. So, if it's good enough for login to Patient Access with NHS credentials why is it now not good enough to login to Patient Access via PA credentials?

They say CAPTCHAs used to guard against automated logins.

Who knows!

I haven't logged on for years and all these posts have put me off even trying.

Even if the apps finally work correctly, they'll find something else.

I rarely go to our GP but last time, I'd made an appointment, walked in, spoke to the receptionist and sat down.

Time went by. A bit late? No problem. But 30 mins?

So I go up and ask if there's a problem. She shook her head and said, "Ah, but did you check in?"

"Did I what?"

Since my last visit, there's a touchscreen monitor at reception and people are now supposed to find their name and click to show that they are present.

Of course, my telepathic powers have diminished over time, so I didn't know.

Steve

PS I will have to add Antidepressants to my BP medication!

[scrumpyjack]

I order repeat prescriptions via my GPs website - work fine. (SystmOnline). Can also do lots of other things such as look at blood test results
The prescriptions then get sent automatically to my local pharmacy for me to collect

[XFool]

Curious thing is, NHS Login works with a user ID, a password and... a PIN texted to mobile. OK. So this is how Patient Access used to work until only a short while ago - no CAPTCHAs. So, if it's good enough for login to Patient Access with NHS credentials why is it now not good enough to login to Patient Access via PA credentials?

The only explanation I have been able to come up with for the PA login route becoming more and more obstructionist is political (with a small 'p').

A case of "Not us guv! Must be the other lot." i.e. If there is any example of a data breach, PA has positioned itself to be able to blame the NHS IT service. As, by using NHS login to access PA, you are using exactly the same methods as formerly used to be available to log on to PA via the PA login route.

[Maroochydore]

I order repeat prescriptions via my GPs website - work fine. (SystmOnline). Can also do lots of other things such as look at blood test results
The prescriptions then get sent automatically to my local pharmacy for me to collect

I alo use SystemOnline and find it great. You can even put messages to the surgery and they get noted.

Scripts get sent electronically to my local pharmacy who deliver to my door a few days later.