Question 1

Can I access the GP appointment booking tool if I have created an account with NowPatient using my NHS Login credentials?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can access this tool immediately, if you have created an account with NowPatient using your NHS Login credentials.

Question 2

Can I access the GP appointment booking tool if I have created an account with NowPatient without NHS Login credentials?

Accepted Answer

Not everybody has NHS Login credentials – do not worry – you can still access the GP appointment booking tool if you have created a NowPatient account using your email address. However, if you use your email address, then you will be required to link your NowPatient account using NHS linkage Codes.

Linkage codes (also called linkage keys) are 3 codes that the NHS uses to protect your GP medical record and keep it secure for you. When you have obtained the keys, you can simply enter the 3 codes into the Book GP Appointment tool.

Question 3

How do I obtain my linkage keys?

Accepted Answer

To get your linkage keys follow the three simple steps:

Contact your GP practice and ask for access to “online services”
You will also need to state that you would like them to send you your “3 linkage keys”
Each GP practice manages these requests a little differently. Some prefer you to complete a request form online, via their website. Others prefer you to email or to phone

The simplest way to get these codes is by email. Below, we’ve included a template email you can use to request yours.

download template here

Once you have requested your linkage keys, your GP surgery will send you a letter or an email, with your codes. You should now have the following 3 codes:

Linkage key or passphrase
ODS code or practice ID
Account ID

You can now enter the 3 codes into the Book GP Appointment tool, which will activate access.

Question 4

Can I use NowPatient’s Book GP Appointment feature if I live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

Accepted Answer

This service is commissioned by NHS England and is only available to patients in England. You will not be able to use the feature if you live in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.

Question 5

How can I view my upcoming and past GP appointments?

Accepted Answer

You can view upcoming and past GP appointments by selecting the appropriate action button on the Book GP Appointment tool, available on the tools page of your account.

Question 6

I cannot see any upcoming appointment slots for my GP surgery?

Accepted Answer

There could be a number of reasons for this, such as: your GP surgery does not currently allow online appointment booking your GP surgery stopped using online appointment booking after you booked the appointment you cancelled the appointment

Question 7

How can I cancel a booking I have already made?

Accepted Answer

Using the Book GP Appointment tool, select the ‘Upcoming Appointments’ action button. This will show your upcoming GP appointments. To cancel an appointment, you can find the appointment you have booked and select ‘Cancel Appointment’.

Your GP surgery may stop accepting online cancellations if it’s too close to the appointment time. If you cannot cancel your appointment online, contact your surgery.

Question 8

What should I do if I need an urgent GP appointment?

Accepted Answer

You should not book GP appointments using the NowPatient App if your requirements are for an urgent same-day GP appointment booking.

If you require a same-day or urgent booking, please contact your surgery. You can also use 111.nhs.uk if you think you need medical help right now. Alternatively, if it is life-threatening medical emergency, please call 999.

Question 9

Why has my selected appointment slot has become unavailable while booking?

Accepted Answer

If the appointment time you selected is now showing as unavailable, someone else may have booked your preferred appointment slot before you finished your booking. If this happens, you can try searching again. There may still be a slot available at the same time, but with a different surgery member.

Question 10

How long in advance can I book appointments?

Accepted Answer

The NowPatient App shows appointment slots at your GP surgery, 16 weeks in advance. However, Your GP surgery decides how far in advance appointments are available to book.

Question 11

What happens after I book my appointment?

Accepted Answer

You will receive a notification confirming the appointment in your &#8216;My Notifications&#8217;. It will also appear in &#8216;Upcoming Appointments&#8217; in the Book GP Appointment tool. When a booking has been confirmed, you will be expected to visit your NHS doctor surgery at the time and date agreed.

Book GP Appointment

How it works

Go to the tools page. Select Book GP Appointment. You can select the star icon on the tool and this will create a shortcut on your dashboard for ease of future use

If you have created your NowPatient account with NHS Login credentials, move to Step 3. If you have created a NowPatient account with your email, request your NHS Linkage codes and enter them into the tool to activate the feature

To Book your appointment, use the action button ‘Book Appointment’ on the Book GP Appointment tool

Now select your preferred time and date for the booking

You will now be presented with available booking slots and available doctors. Select the combination that you would like to choose

Now add a brief summary of the reason for the booking

After confirming the booking, you will receive a confirmation notification which will be available in your ‘My Notifications’ on your dashboard

Service Information

Can I access the GP appointment booking tool if I have created an account with NowPatient using my NHS Login credentials?

Can I access the GP appointment booking tool if I have created an account with NowPatient without NHS Login credentials?

How do I obtain my linkage keys?

Can I use NowPatient’s Book GP Appointment feature if I live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

How can I view my upcoming and past GP appointments?

I cannot see any upcoming appointment slots for my GP surgery?

How can I cancel a booking I have already made?

What should I do if I need an urgent GP appointment?

Why has my selected appointment slot has become unavailable while booking?

How long in advance can I book appointments?

What happens after I book my appointment?

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