Confused about eConsult? We understand that a new system can being new challenges. As patients have started to adapt, so has our response times, with most patients getting a call same day by the triage team.
Don’t know how to get started? Our Care Coordinator has put together a ‘How To’ guide to help you get started. Click on the tabs below for more information and videos.
Administrative Help
You can use eConsult to request documentation from your practice, for example:
- Ask about recent test results
- Request a fit note for work or other reasons
- GP letters
- Medical reports
- Medical Examination letters
- Other documents
- Go to the ‘I want administrative help’ section
- Read the disclaimer and accept the privacy notice
- Confirm who you are submitting for (yourself, a child, someone else)
- Confirm that you are not requesting advice or treatment for a medical problem
- Use NHS login or continue as a guest to populate your own personal details
- Confirm your registered practice and personal details (if not using NHS login; only available in England)
Select which administrative issue you need help with:
Fit notes for 7 days or less
If you expect to be ill for 7 days or less, your GP won’t give you a sick note. But you can still self-certify your illness by completing the statement of sickness form on the HMRC website. Give it to your employer as proof of illness and to claim your Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).
Submit an eConsult for someone else
Submit an eConsult for a child
We have a whole section of templates that are relevant for children (between the age of 6 months up until they are 18 years of age). If the template you are looking for does not exist, then unfortunately it is not a condition we currently allow you to submit an eConsult for.
Please note that for safeguarding reasons, you must be the child’s legal guardian and both you and the child must be registered at the same practice. You must also be above the age of 18 to complete an eConsult for a child.
The beginning section will ask for your details and your relationship with the child.
It will then start to ask you questions about the child, starting with their date of birth.
The example below also demonstrates what happens if you try to consult on behalf of someone aged 18 or over and the warning message that appears:
- Go to the ‘I want help for my child’ section
- Select the appropriate template
- Click the ‘Contact your GP practice’ option
- Read the disclaimer and accept the privacy notice
- When asked who you are submitting for, click ‘For a child under 18’.
- Confirm the child is not experiencing urgent symptoms.
- Confirm that you and the child are registered that the practice address.
- Confirm your date of birth (you must be over 18 to complete).
- Confirm you are the child’s legal guardian.
- Confirm your relationship with the child.
- Confirm the child’s sex.
- Confirm the child’s date of birth.
Submit an eConsult for an adult you care for
The beginning section of your eConsult experience will be similar to when you are submitting for yourself, except you will need to answer a few questions about the patient instead.
- Go to the list of all condition templates (or go to the ‘I want help for my condition’ section)
- Select the appropriate template
- Click the ‘Contact your GP practice’ option
- Read the disclaimer and accept the privacy notice
- When asked who you are submitting for, click ‘Someone else’.
- Confirm that you, the person submitting the request, are over the age of 16.
- Confirm the patient is not experiencing urgent symptoms.
- Confirm the patient is registered that the practice address.
- Confirm the patient’s sex.
- Confirm the patient’s date of birth.
- Confirm that you understand that the following questions ask about the patient.
Use NHS login during your eConsult
If you have already downloaded and logged into the NHS App, you will most likely already have an NHS login.
You can use your NHS login to save you from having to type out your personal information (such as your name, email address and telephone number) when submitting an eConsult from your GP practice’s website.
eConsult does not have its own login function – we use the existing NHS login functionality to save you from having another username and password to remember.
Please note that NHS login is currently only available to patients in England. Anyone is able to continue submitting their eConsult to their practice by clicking the ‘Continue without logging in’ option.
To use eConsult with your NHS login:
- Open your practice website and click on the eConsult banner
- Pick the most appropriate option for your needs
- If you can’t get help from a pharmacy or local service or treat yourself with trusted advice then pick ‘I want treatment and advice from my GP’
- Answer the questions about your symptom urgency or request
- Pick ‘Continue with NHS login’ and enter your NHS login details when prompted
- Once you have logged in, you will be redirected back to continue your eConsult request
For questions relating to setting up your NHS login, please visit the NHS support page: https://help.login.nhs.uk/setupnhslogin/
You can also start an eConsult directly from within the NHS App, once you have logged in. Find out how to do this on our NHS App help centre article.
Submit an eConsult from the NHS App
Send an eConsult via the NHS App
- Open the NHS App.
- Login to the NHS App with NHS login, or enter your details to register for NHS login.
- Click on ‘Advice’ in the menu at the bottom of the App.
- Click on the ‘Ask your GP for advice’ option.
- Tick the box to let eConsult use the personal details (e.g. name, email) from your NHS login account.
- Select if you are asking for help for yourself or your child.
- Select the appropriate condition type for your needs.
For questions relating to the NHS App, including any support about accessing or logging in to the NHS App, please visit the NHS App support page: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/the-nhs-app/help/