My RFL Care patient portal: Frequently asked questions

What is My RFL Care?

My RFL Care patient portal is Royal Free London’s secure online system that allows registered patients to view an extract of information from their hospital record, and is accessible from computers, tablets, or smartphones.

What information can I see on the portal?

Once registered you will be able to:
View and manage hospital appointments*
View appointment letters and clinical documents
View lab test results and radiology reports
View documented allergies, key metrics, family, and social history
Communicate
Complete questionnaires and assessments prior to your appointments
Set communication preferences

Not all types of appointments are currently available but as we continue to develop the portal, more appointments and new features will be introduced.

Who can use My RFL Care patient portal?

My RFL Care is currently available to patients aged 18 and over who have a UK mobile number and an NHS number.

Registration

Can patients under 18 be signed up on the patient portal?

No, the portal is currently for 18-year-olds and over only.

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

No.

I share an email address with a family member, can we both register for the portal?

No. One of you will need to create a new email address if you both want to register.

How do I register?

For a step by step guide, please watch our My RFL Care Registering for the portal video.

I have a mobile but it’s not a smart phone. Can I still register for the portal?

Yes, you can register with a computer or tablet. Visit the Royal Free Hospital patient portal and enter your details, including your NHS number.

Can I opt-out of receiving text messages inviting me to register?

If you do not wish to register, or receive further invitations, send a text message to 60777 with the words RFLDEV STOP. You can also opt out using the online form. You will need to include your details and mobile number.

If you change your mind and would like to receive an invitation to register before your next outpatient appointment is booked, send a text message with the words RFLDEV START to 60777.

Do I need special software or devices use the portal?

You need an internet connection and a suitable electronic device such as a computer, tablet or smart phone. The portal can be accessed using most internet browsers. If you have trouble viewing the portal, you might need to get an updated version of your web browser. A PDF reader is needed to view some documents within the portal.

Using My RFL Care

I’ve forgotten my email address and cannot log in, what should I do?

If you have forgotten your email address, select ‘Forgot email’ on the patient portal. Enter your NHS number and date of birth. If the details are correct the system will help you find your email address.

Can I change the email I use to log in to patient portal?

Yes. Go to ‘My details’ in the patient portal. Select ‘email’ under ‘your login details’. Confirm your password and then enter your new email address.

Does changing my email address on the portal change the email stored on my Royal Free London patient record?

Yes.

Can I change my phone number via the patient portal?

No. If you need to update the phone number we have for you, please contact your hospital department.

What should I do if I spot information in the patient portal that is not correct, or not related to my care and treatment?

If you believe the error relates to something clinically important, please contact the clinical service or team delivering your care. Contact information can be found on letters sent to you from the hospital, or you can find contact details for services and staff on the hospital’s website.

If the error is not urgent, then please raise this next time you are visiting the hospital, so that it can be corrected at that time.

If I update my personal information on the portal, will it update my patient record.

No, if your details have changed, please contact your GP practice and the hospital.

Why can I only reschedule some appointments in the portal but not all?

There are several reasons why you may not be given an option to change your appointment using the patient portal, these may include:

Not having any alternative appointment slots available
Your appointment may have been previously rescheduled a few times by the hospital or by you
Your appointment cannot be changed online because it may be time sensitive, or requested changes will need to be reviewed and assessed before a change can be made
Your appointment may have been booked via the NHS eReferral Service (eRS)

If you are unable to reschedule online, then you can contact the department directly using the phone number on your appointment letter.

If you were referred through the NHS e-Referral Service, please ring the NHS Appointments Line on 0345 608 8888 or visit www.nhs.uk/referrals to rebook or cancel the appointment.

More information on managing your hospital appointments.

Can I use the patient portal to reschedule my outpatient appointment if I have transport or interpreters booked?

Changing your outpatient appointment using the portal does not change bookings for interpreters or transport. If you need to change your appointment and have any of these services booked, please do not reschedule using the portal.

Instead, contact the out-patient appointment centre: 020 7443 9757, Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm (excluding bank holidays). Alternatively, you can use the online form.

Will all my letters be on the patient portal?

You will receive an SMS notification to log in and view your appointment letters if a new appointment is booked, cancelled, or rescheduled by the trust.

If you reschedule your appointment yourself using the ‘Manage’ feature in the patient portal, you will only receive a text message confirming the new date and time, but no updated letter. The new date and time will appear under ‘Appointments’. Refer to your original appointment letter for all other details such as location and hospital department contact details.

Patient letters and documents that routinely get printed or posted, will also be available to view in the portal. You can view or download available clinical letters under ‘Documents’.

Patient Information Leaflets and Patient Resources

A searchable list of patient information leaflets can be found here. Additional patient resources and links to other useful websites can be found here.

What happens if I choose to go paperless?

You will continue to receive paper letters unless you choose to go paperless. You can change your preferences at any time under ‘My Details’. Even if you choose to opt out of paper, we will still send you some letters by post depending on your hospital department.

Can I use the patient portal to message my clinical team?

Once registered, if your clinician needs to send you a secure message, they may be able to do so using the portal. If you have been sent a message, you will receive an email notification asking you to log into the portal to view it. You can view the message under ‘Secure Messages’ and ‘Notifications’.

Test Results

Why can’t I see some test results and what does ‘pending’ results mean?

Test results will be viewable on the portal after 7 days for laboratory results and after 30 days for some pathology and all radiology reports. Once a result is pending, the date and time they will become available in the portal is displayed.

Results may be pending to allow clinicians to review, consult and interpret what your results mean as they relate to your condition. Clinicians will continue to contact you to discuss results prior to results being visible in the portal if necessary.

I am not a doctor- how will I know what my results and information mean?

Test results and reports have been produced by clinicians and are used to communicate with your GP and/or other health professionals, so they do contain necessary medical terminology. If you do not understand any of the content, please discuss this at your next appointment.

There is also a useful website that provides information in plain English on what various tests are for, and what the results indicate. This can be accessed here: https://labtestsonline.org.uk/

If my lab results are outside the ‘reference range’ does that mean they are abnormal?

Important things to consider:

A test result outside of the reference range may or may not indicate a problem. Patients with chronic diseases often have results that lie outside of the reference range. Speak to your clinical team for more information.
Not all abnormal results will be flagged as abnormal on the report. For some textual report results an abnormal flag cannot be generated.
Comments attached to results often have important information about the test and how to interpret the result.
Comments may have been added automatically by a laboratory computer or by a laboratory scientist or doctor. Generally, comments are written for the doctor requesting the test, rather than the patient. Speak with the requesting doctor if you have concerns about a report.

Access further explanation about specific tests and reference ranges.

What action should I take once I receive my results?

You should not make any changes to your treatment or medications based on results viewed on the portal. They are provided for information/reference only. Changes should only be made in consultation with your treating clinical team.

Accessibility

Can accessibility tools be used with the portal?

The portal is a ‘web-based’ app accessed from an internet browser (e.g., Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome) from any suitable device, such as a smart phone, tablet, laptop, or PC.

Internet browser or device features, such as the 'pinch and zoom' functions can be used to increase text size, screen readers and colour contrast. The portal also works with accessibility apps such as Yello and Voiceover.

Is my information secure?

Yes. My RFL Care patient portal uses the same technology that other websites use to gather sensitive information like online banking. Log in requires the mobile number associated with their Royal Free London medical record, and if that mobile number is updated in the hospital medical record, that number will update in My RFL Care as well.

Will the hospital use my email address for anything else?

Your email address will be used to communicate with you about your health. By providing your email address, you are giving us permission to interact with you for other health related reasons such as sending email notifications when you have messages from your clinical teams, or for receiving health assessment questionnaires.

Will I be able to see my GP record through My RFL Care?

No. Your GP record is not included in My RFL Care. Blood tests or scans performed at RFL hospitals will be visible in the portal. GPs often only have access to a small part of this hospital record so may not be able to see all test results directly.

If I was previously registered on Royal Free’s MyHealth patient portal, will I need to re-register on My RFL Care?

Yes, you will need to re-register via My RFL Care to use the patient portal. MyHealth will no longer be accessible from 27 February 2023.

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