Online Patient Portal

Online Patient Portal offers a secure online space for patients to view their hospital letters and appointment details (instead of receiving paper letters by mail). The portal also offers;

  • the ability to track and monitor your health and symptoms.
  • access to a library of health resources to help you to manage your health.
  • the ability to share your record with family, carers and health professionals.
     

Patients will receive an invitation to register for the portal, which is provided in partnership with Patients Know Best (PKB), in their appointment letter. To find out more, visit the Patients Know Best website (opens in new window) >
 

Dr Lennon, Emergency Medicine Consultant, explains the benefits for patients in using the portal.


Read some of our frequently asked questions below.

How to use the portal

Is my information secure?

Yes. Patients Know Best (PKB) is a software provider selected by University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust to provide a patient portal. The PKB portal meets NHS requirements for health record systems and is fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Only the minimum level of data necessary to verify you has been uploaded. All personal and health information stored is encrypted, with the software provider only having access to your NHS number.

Do I need internet access to use the portal?

Yes. This is an online service and will require you, or a carer, to have regular internet access to receive your correspondence via the portal and to use the additional features.

What correspondence is available in the portal?

Once you have registered, future correspondence from the Trust will start to be available within the portal such as appointment letters.

There are still some departments within the Hospital which are yet to use the Trusts electronic mail provider and there may also be times where you need to receive additional items such as hearing aids or leaflets – on both of these occasions you will receive your letter in the post instead.

Do I need an email address to register?

In order to register to the Portal, you will need to have an email address that is unique to you i.e. not an email that is shared with anyone else.

Can I ask a carer or family member to register on my behalf?

Yes, family members and carers can, with your consent, register on your behalf. However, they should not use their own email account to do this.

If you want the family member or carer to have access to your portal record they can be added in the ‘Sharing’ section. This will allow them to set up their own portal account and allow you to control the level of access they have to your record.

What happens if I don't want to use the portal?

The portal is an optional service to provide choice to patients who wish to interact with the hospital in a digital format, and requires you to ‘opt-in’. If you do not wish to use the portal, you can ignore this invitation and will continue to receive your hospital correspondence in the usual way. This will not affect the care that you receive from the Trust.

Why is the portal empty?

We are unable to add any information until you have registered.

Once you have registered, your correspondence will start to become available. In the meantime you can add your own information, such as tracking your symptoms or recording any medication you take.

My information on the portal is incorrect

If you are concerned that your personal information is incorrect, you will need to contact your GP practice to change your information as this can only be changed at source. This is then automatically updated in the portal when you are next booked an appointment.

Do I have to pay for this service?

No, there are no costs to you as a patient as the portal is being funded by UHDB. The Trust will recoup the costs through a reduction in paper and postage expenses as a result of correspondence being sent digitally.

Why is the registration time limited?

Your invite contains two security codes to ensure that only you can register for your account. Limiting the time that these codes can be used helps to enhance the security of the portal.

If you are unable or choose not to register during this time, you will be given an opportunity to register again in the future.

When will test results be available in the portal?

Further developments are currently in progress and we hope that this feature will be available on the portal in the coming months.

I am experiencing technical problems, who can I contact?

Please e-mail PKB directly on: help@patientsknowbest.com

Who can I contact for any other issues relating to the portal?

For all other issues, including resetting passwords and deregistering accounts, please contact the Portal enquiries team on telephone number 01332 783474, between 9am - 4pm, Monday to Friday.