When you help care for someone — an ageing parent, a partner, a child — a surprising amount of the work is now digital: ordering repeat prescriptions, booking appointments, reading results in a portal. Proxy access is the formal, authorised way to do that on another person’s behalf, through their own health record or app, without borrowing their password or guessing their way around the rules. Done properly it is a quiet piece of patient empowerment that lightens the load for carers; done carelessly it can trample the privacy of the very person it is meant to help. This article explains what proxy access is, what it lets you do and what it does not, the safeguards around it, and how to set it up.
What proxy access actually is
Proxy access — sometimes called a linked profile or family and carer access — is permission, granted and recorded, for one person to use another’s online health services. Instead of logging in as them, you have your own access, clearly identified, to agreed parts of their record and services. In the NHS, for example, this is handled through family and carer access in the NHS App; other systems and patient portals offer their own versions. The defining feature is that it is authorised and visible: the practice or provider knows who you are and what you can see, which is exactly what separates it from quietly sharing a login.
What it lets you do — and what it does not
At its most useful, proxy access covers the everyday admin of someone else’s care: ordering repeat medicines, booking or cancelling appointments, and viewing agreed parts of the record such as results or letters. What it is not is ownership of that person’s medical life. The provider can limit what a proxy sees, sensitive information may be withheld, and the arrangement can be paused or withdrawn. It builds on the same foundation as the person’s own patient portal and their right to see their medical records — you are stepping into a defined, delegated version of that access, not taking it over.
| What proxy access involves | What it can let you do | What it cannot do |
|---|---|---|
| A linked, identified login | Act on someone’s behalf without sharing their password | Hide who is really using the account |
| Agreed access to services | Order medicines and manage appointments | Grant more than the provider has approved |
| Agreed access to the record | View the parts of the record you are permitted to see | Guarantee access to sensitive or withheld information |
| A revocable permission | Support care while the person wishes it | Override their wishes, or continue once consent is withdrawn |
Who it is for
Proxy access suits anyone doing the practical work of caring: a parent managing a young child’s appointments, an adult child helping an older parent who finds apps difficult, or a partner coordinating care during a serious illness. It fits naturally into the reality described in a carer’s first month, where logistics arrive faster than anyone expects. Used well, it keeps the person at the centre while sparing them the parts they find hard.
- It removes the need to share passwords or log in as someone else.
- It makes repeat prescriptions and appointment-booking far simpler for carers.
- It can be scoped — full access for a child, narrower access for a capable adult who wants help with admin only.
- It leaves a clear record of who is acting, which protects both of you.
Limits and safeguards
The safeguards exist because the record belongs to the other person, not to you. An adult who has the capacity to decide chooses whether to grant proxy access and how much; they can narrow or revoke it at any time. Providers often withhold sensitive parts of a record by default, and a clinician can decline or limit proxy access if they judge it is not in the person’s interest. For a capable adult, proxy access is a convenience they consent to — not a right you hold over them — and treating it that way is the whole point.
How to set it up
- Check whether the person’s health app or patient portal offers proxy, linked-profile or carer access.
- Agree together what you will and will not have access to, before anything is set up.
- Apply through the practice or provider, who will confirm the basis for the arrangement.
- Complete the identity checks — both yours and the person you are helping.
- Confirm the scope in writing where you can, so everyone knows what is covered.
- Review it periodically, and close it when it is no longer needed or wanted.
Proxy access is a trust held on someone else’s behalf. Their wishes and their privacy come first — the aim is to help them manage their care, not to manage it for them without their say.
When capacity is in question
Most proxy access rests on the straightforward consent of a capable adult. It becomes more delicate when someone cannot make or communicate decisions for themselves. Then the question is no longer simple convenience but legal authority — who is entitled to act, and in whose interest — which is the territory of consent when you can’t decide for yourself. The principles that govern access to records in that situation are set out by bodies such as the US Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT in its guidance on patient access to health records. If capacity is genuinely in doubt, that is a conversation to have with the care team rather than a setting to switch on alone.
Key takeaways
- Proxy access is authorised, identified access to someone else’s online health services.
- It lets you order medicines, manage appointments and view agreed parts of the record.
- It is granted by a capable adult, can be scoped, and can be withdrawn at any time.
- Where someone lacks capacity, legal authority and the care team’s involvement come first.
- This article is educational only — the rules differ by country and provider, so check locally.
Frequently asked questions
Is proxy access the same as knowing someone’s password?
No, and the difference matters. Sharing a password hides who is really using the account and breaks most services’ rules. Proxy access gives you your own identified login to agreed services, so the provider knows who is acting. It is the safe, transparent alternative to logging in as someone else.
Can I get proxy access to any adult’s record?
Only with their consent, if they have the capacity to give it, and within what the provider approves. A capable adult decides whether to grant access and how much, and can withdraw it whenever they choose. You cannot simply request access to another adult’s record without their agreement.
What if my relative cannot make decisions for themselves?
Then it moves from consent to legal authority, and the rules are stricter. Who may act, and on what basis, depends on your country’s law and on any arrangements such as a power of attorney. This is best handled with the care team rather than alone; our guide to consent and capacity explains the principles.
Will I be able to see everything in their record?
Not necessarily. Providers often limit what a proxy can see, and may withhold sensitive information by default, even where the person themselves can view it. The scope is agreed when access is set up, and a clinician can restrict it if they judge that appropriate. Proxy access is defined access, not unlimited access.
Can the person take the access away?
Yes. A capable adult can narrow or revoke proxy access at any time, for any reason, and good systems make that straightforward. That reversibility is a feature, not a flaw — it keeps the arrangement firmly in the hands of the person whose record it is.
Does proxy access work across different clinics and apps?
Often not seamlessly. Access is usually tied to a particular practice, provider or app, so you may need to arrange it in more than one place, and the features differ between them. Check each service separately, and do not assume that access in one portal carries over to another.
Proxy access sits alongside the other topics on this site, from the patient portal and remote patient monitoring to arranging an online second opinion — all part of the wider Digital Tools hub.
Helping someone manage their care online works best when it stays, visibly, on their terms.
Educational content only. This article explains general concepts about proxy access to online health services. It does not provide medical, legal or personal advice, and the rules governing access, consent and capacity differ by country and provider. For a specific situation — particularly where someone may lack the capacity to consent — speak to the relevant healthcare provider and, where needed, seek appropriate legal advice.
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