Health Minister Mike Nesbitt popped into Ards Shopping Centre to lend his support and explain the benefits to shoppers of the My Care patient app.
The My Care patient portal allows patients to view information about their digital medical record, such as their medications, appointments and some test results. It is free and it is optional to use.
My Care is accessible to all Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust service users across Northern Ireland and it is only available within secondary care (your specialist in the hospital or in the community setting). This means primary care (GP records) are not available.
Over 140,000 people in Northern Ireland are already using and enjoying the benefits of the My Care patient portal on their digital devices, via an app or web browser.
Chatting to shoppers, the Minister described his experience of using the My Care app as, “absolutely brilliant.”
“Like any app you can download it to your phone in less than a minute. What I have found, having had my bloods taken, was that within two days my results were all there.”
The Minister continued, “I attend appointments for my heart, having suffered heart failure in the past and I find the app absolutely wonderful in being able to see when those appointments are coming up. I feel I’m much more in control with the My Care app and the speed at which results come through is fantastic.”
From Ards, shopper Kellie Dineley-Nichols shared how keen she was to install the My Care app after chatting with South Eastern Trust staff. “I think it’s brilliant being able to access all your appointments to keep you right with all your results. Installing the app is absolutely something I’m going to take forward,” said Kellie.
South Eastern Trust Director of Children’s Services and Executive Director of Social Work Lyn Preece added, “I think the My Care app is the most innovative thing we have had in years, the technology behind the app is incredible. It is giving the people the opportunity to, quite literally, have their ‘health in their hands’. They can look at the app, see their results, find their appointments and any communication they have had is there. I am delighted to be here to promote the use of the app to the public.”