Our Patient Portal
We often send messages by post, email, or text to let you know appointment details and reminders.
Our new Berkshire Healthcare Patient Portal provided by Portasana is a convenient app that can be downloaded to your smart device for easy access to your health information at any time. The portal can also be accessed via a webpage.
Why are we changing?
We want to put you in charge of your healthcare. Our Patient Portal offers you more control over when you are seen.
If you receive appointment information from one of our service’s through Digital Appointment Correspondence (DAC), in the near future you will receive an invitation to sign up to our portal.
Read more about our Digital Appointment Correspondence (DAC)
Our first service using the new portal is Berkshire Mental Health Service (Bracknell). If you’re under the care of this service, you will soon receive a text and email invitation asking you to download and register for a Portasana account.
Visit our Berkshire Mental Health Service (Bracknell) webpage
If you’re under the care of one of our other services, you'll continue to receive letters and appointment reminders in your current format.
You might not see anything for a while as we introduce the new Portal system across all our services. Thank you for your patience.
What does Portasana offer?
Initially you will be able to:
- View your appointment information
- Request to rebook your appointment at the touch of a button - the service will then contact you to re-arrange
- Add appointment information to your device calendar
- View the app into up to 9 different languages
- Set your preferences as to how you want to be notified of changes, such as text, digital letters (recommended), device notifications, and email
- Use accessibility features such as large font and dark/light mode
You will continue to receive reminders of your appointment at 7 days and then 2 days before your appointment.
If you don’t want to register you don’t have to. We will send a letter in the post to you instead. If you don’t view your appointment letter on the app, we will send you a copy in the post.
In the future, we will be introducing new features such as:
- Viewing and downloading your clinic letters
- Accessing resources to support you
- More features coming soon
When it’s time for your service to move to the new system, you will receive a text message or an email with a registration link.
At your appointment, make sure that you confirm your information is up to date.
Once you receive your registration invite, we suggest you download the app onto your smart device.
Register using Google Play (Android users)
Register using the App Store (iOS users)
You will need an NHS Login account to register and connect with the portal.
Find out more about the NHS Login
When you have registered, you will be asked to connect to Berkshire Healthcare. At this stage you can view our trust's Privacy Notice which explains how we use your data.
This is to ensure the right person is connecting to information from your clinical record and will only need to be done once.
Services currently using the patient portal
We're working on providing the portal across all our services so that you can access all your information in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You don’t have to.
However, digital solutions and apps are part of everyday life, and the benefits are that you have the information at the touch of your hand.
If you don’t register you will continue to receive letters in the post.
You can still use your computer or tablet. There is also an iPad app if you prefer.
If you don’t register or view the information by the above methods, you will receive an appointment letter in the post.
As we move to the new portal system, appointment letters will still be sent via post.
When the portal is ready to use, you will receive digital copies of your appointment letters once you register for the app and can view them in the Portal.
Once this happens, you can still choose to receive postal letters and can change this option in the 'digital letter' settings in the Portal app.
If you don’t register for the app or view the letters, they will be sent in the post.
If you don’t want to use this solution that is ok, we can make sure you receive your information by post.
We would encourage you to speak to your service, and they can talk you through the paper only process.
We'll record your preference, so you won't receive any further digital messages.
If you’re aged 15 or under, your parent or guardian will continue to receive appointment letters in the post.
A function to manage this within the Portal will be available in the near future.
This option is not available yet, but we are working hard to provide this in the near future.
In the meantime, the person who supports you with your healthcare will receive appointment information via SMS and postal letters.
When you register with the Portal, you’ll be able to view your future appointments as they are booked by the Service. Once completed, they will move to the past appointments section.
You can use the filter to view all appointments, future or past.
Please contact your service if you need any information about appointments that took place before downloading the app.
Half of our services use Digital Appointment Correspondence (DAC). We'll be moving them to our new Patient Portal (by Portasana) over the next year.
While we’re moving them to the Portal, you may receive correspondence in different ways such as the Portal app, Digital Appointment Correspondence texts and web portal, email or just a postal letter.
Read more about our Digital Appointment Correspondence (DAC)
Contact us or Portasana support team
You can contact Wellola, the providers of Portasana, if you have questions about the Berkshire Healthcare Patient Portal, the app, or need help on how to use it.
Visit the Wellola website to contact the Portasana support
Please contact our trust service directly if you have a question about your appointment or medical information.
You will find the service number or email address can be found on any of your appointment letters.