MY CARE

Setting up your MY CARE account

If you’re over the age of 16 and a patient at University Hospitals Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon or the Royal Devon there are two easy ways to set up a MY CARE account:

1. Complete this online sign up form. You will need your NHS number and email address or mobile number. 
2. Sign up using your NHS App login details. Go to this MY CARE login page click 'Continue to NHS login' and follow the on-screen instructions.

Sign up for MY CARE

If you’re under 16 then please see the section MY CARE for under 16s.

Access MY CARE through the app

MY CARE is really easy to use on your smartphone or tablet by downloading the MyChart app.

1) Visit the Apple App Store or Google Play

2) Search for and download MyChart

3) Search for your local hospital trust: 

• Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

• Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

• University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

4) Select MY CARE and complete the sign-up process or log in with your NHS App details

Download MY CARE on the App Store

Get MY CARE on Google Play

If you sign up to MY CARE and would still like to receive printed letters through the post, then you can set your communication preferences in MY CARE. You can find out how by reading the ‘Updating your communication preferences via MY CARE’ section below.

When will my results be released?

There are two ways your results will be made available to you.

Some results are sent automatically to MY CARE after a set time and others will be available after they have been reviewed by your care team.

The maximum times you would have to wait for automatically released results are:

• Blood and microbiology tests - after two weeks (14 days)

• Other tests - after six weeks (42 days)

Most blood tests will automatically release after one day.

In line with national guidance, we only release test results to MY CARE on working days (not on weekends or bank holidays). This allows your care team to be available if you have any queries.

Will all results be released?

Some test results are never released to MY CARE. Certain tests are sensitive and can only be released manually by clinicians. This is based on the type of test performed, not the result itself.

Where can I find support with my test results?

If you have further questions regarding test results or you have not received a result that you are expecting, please discuss this at your next visit, or contact your clinical care team. For more information regarding test results, we recommend the visiting The Royal College of Pathologists’ LabTestsOnline website.

Emails or text messages from MY CARE

You may get emails or text messages from MY CARE. MY CARE is our online service and app that lets you see your test results, appointments and other information. Emails will come from DoNotReply.RDE@nhs.net and texts will come from NHSNoReply.

Messages from MY CARE

You may get an email or text message with a message to read, a form to sign or a questionnaire to fill in.

You can use the secure link in the email or text to open MY CARE. You do not need an account to use the link. Just click it and enter your date of birth to use MY CARE as a guest. The link will work for 30 days.

If this way of communicating doesn’t work for you, we can contact you by phone, letter or in person instead.

Sign Up invitations for MY CARE

You may get an email or text inviting you to sign up for MY CARE.

Use the link in the message to sign up. You will need to enter:

• the last four digits of your NHS number

• your date of birth (you may be asked for this)

• a username and password

The link will work for 14 days. If it expires, you can still sign up on the MY CARE website at any time.

You will get an email when:

• a test result is ready

• we book you an appointment

• you are discharged from hospital

You will get a text message when you check in for an appointment. We will not send more than one two messages in 90 days.

If you don’t hear from us, please check that we have your correct email address and mobile number at your next appointment.

Opting out

If you want to stop receiving these messages, you can use the link below to opt out. Please note: if you opt out, we won’t be able to email or text you about MY CARE. Your care team may still talk to you about the benefits of MY CARE and how to sign up.

Opt-out

Usually, patients need to be over 16 to have their own MY CARE account. In some situations, teenagers can be granted access to MY CARE from the age of 12. Please talk to your clinician or clinical team to find out more.

A parent or guardian can be granted proxy access to their child’s MY CARE information by their clinical care team at an appointment.

You can choose to give someone access to your MY CARE account. This is called giving someone ‘proxy access’.

If you are a patient over the age of 16, then it is your choice whether to give proxy access to someone you trust. The person you grant proxy access to will need their own MY CARE account.

You can find out more about how to manage proxy access and the levels of access available by reading the ‘Granting proxy access via MY CARE’ section below.

Proxy access for parents and guardians

A parent or legal guardian can be granted proxy access to a child’s MY CARE account by their clinical care team at an appointment. When the child turns 16 the parent’s or guardian’s proxy access will automatically be removed.

You will need your own MY CARE account to have proxy access to your child’s MY CARE.

In the event that there is a change in circumstance for the legal guardian of a child and proxy access needs changing, please contact your clinical care team.

Proxy access for carers

If the person you care for can use a computer or device, then they need to grant you proxy access themselves. Read the ‘Granting proxy access via MY CARE’ section below for instructions about how to do that.

If the person you care for can’t give you proxy access because of their health (for example the patient may not have the mental capacity to make that decision, or they may not be physically able to use a computer or smartphone), then their care team may be able to give you proxy access at the patient’s next hospital appointment.

If the patient doesn’t have mental capacity, then the carer will need lasting power of attorney for health and welfare recorded on the patient’s medical record to be granted proxy access.

You will need your own MY CARE account to have proxy access

If you are a patient with Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust or University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, then please find out about how you can set up an account. If you are not known to us, or have other questions about proxy access, please contact the MY CARE Helpdesk on: rduh.mycarehelp@nhs.net or call 01392 404664, 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.

Proxy access enables a trusted individual (such as a family member, friend or carer) to view your MY CARE information. You can determine the level of access a proxy has. You can have as many proxies assigned to your account as you choose.

There are three levels of proxy access:

• Read Only: Access to view your information only.

• Read Only with Messaging: Access to message the Trust on your behalf. Please note: clinical messaging is only available for services that have this function enabled.

• Full Access: Access to fully interact with MY CARE features on your behalf.

Follow these steps to manage proxy access from your MY CARE account:

• From the home page, click the Menu button

 

• From the menu, locate and click on the ‘Sharing Hub’, it can be found in the ‘Sharing’ section.

• The ‘Sharing Hub’ allows you to share your health information with a variety of different people. For proxy access, select ‘Family member, close friend or caretaker’.

• Next, select how you want to share the information. For proxy access select ‘Manage ongoing access to your MY CARE account’.

• This is the ‘Proxy Access’ page. From here you can invite proxies to view your MY CARE record. You can also manage the levels of access your proxies have and remove access.

 
Inviting a proxy

• To invite someone to view your MY CARE record, click ‘Invite friends or family’. This brings up the below page.

• Then enter the proxy’s name, email address, the level of access you wish them to have and click to send the invite.

• The invite will be sent to the proxy’s email address. They can use the link to log into their MY CARE account or sign up if they do not already have their own account. After agreeing to our proxy access disclaimer, they will then have access to your MY CARE record.

Removing proxy access

Removing access to your MY CARE account for your proxies at any point is quick and easy:

1. From the MY CARE ‘Friends and Family Access’ page, click ‘Remove’ on the proxy that you would like to remove access for.

2. Click ‘Remove’ on the pop up to confirm that you would like to remove the proxy’s access.

The proxy will no longer be able to access your MY CARE record when they log into their account.

The patient doesn’t have a MY CARE account, but they would like someone to have proxy access

Currently patients over the age of 16 are encouraged to manage their own proxies via their MY CARE account using the steps described above. If the patient does not have a MY CARE account and does not have the capacity to have one, the clinical care team can grant proxy access to a patient for a proxy where an active health and welfare lasting power of attorney is recorded on file for the patient.

If the patient is under the age of 16 and the person requesting access has parental responsibility for the child, they can request access to their child’s MY CARE record at their next appointment. This access will be removed when the child turns 16, at which point the proxy will be notified.

You can update your communication preferences at any time in MY CARE. Follow these simple steps:

1) Log into your MY CARE account.

2) Click Menu.

3) Scroll to the bottom of the list and click on ‘Communication Preferences’.

4) Use the toggles to set your preferences. If the toggle is grey, it is off. If the toggle is green, then it is on.

5) Once you have made all your desired changes, click ‘Save Changes’ at the bottom of the screen.

 

Setting your communication preferences to receive appointment information via post

To receive appointment information by post, access ‘Communication Preferences’ using the steps outlined above. Then:

1) In the ‘Details’ section, click on the ‘Appointments’ drop down to expand it.

2) Locate ‘Post’, toggle it on or off by clicking the grey or green toggle

• Toggle Status: Grey - Appointment Information by post is toggled off - You will NOT receive appointment information via post, you will only receive this digitally via MY CARE.

• Toggle Status: Green - Appointment Information via Post is toggled on - You will receive appointment information via post as well as via MY CARE.

 
Once you have made all of your desired changes, click ‘Save Changes’ at the bottom of the screen.

 
3) Your communication preferences have now been changed, and any future appointment information will be sent via your chosen communication preference.

 

Setting your communication preferences to control how you are notified that you have new appointment information

To control how you are notified that you have new appointment information in MY CARE you need to change the Messages section of your communication preferences. From the communications preferences page:

1) Find the ‘Details’ section and click on the ‘Messages’ drop down to expand it.

 
2) Click ‘Advanced’ settings to expand it further.

 
3) Locate the ‘New Message’ section and toggle on or off ‘Email’ or ‘Text’ by clicking the grey or green toggle.

 
Remember:

• Check that you are editing the communication preference for ‘New Messages’ within the ‘Messages’ section and not the ‘Letter’ section.

• When you make any changes to your ‘Communication Preferences’ do not forget to click ‘Save changes’ at the bottom of the screen.

 

FAQ (frequently asked questions)

Where will I find my appointment information?

When you have new appointment information in MY CARE, you will receive an email or text to notify you. Please click the link in your email or text to go directly to the full appointment information.

You can also find your appointment information directly in MY CARE:

1. Open the MY CARE home page.

2. Click the on the ‘Messages’ section.

3. Select the Appointment tab on the left-hand side and all your appointment information available in MY CARE will be displayed. You can use the search box to filter the results.

Please note: your visit information can also be found on the ‘Visits’ page.

How do I access the visiting information and information leaflets relating to my appointment?

If there is visiting information and/or patient information leaflets for your appointment, then you will be able to access these in MY CARE.

To find this information from the MY CARE home page:

• Click ‘Visits’.

• Locate the appointment that you would like to view the information for.

• Click ‘Details’.

Links for any relevant visiting information and information leaflets will be displayed in the ‘Prepare for Your Visit’ section. Click on the links to view more information.

Will I ever receive postal appointment letters if I opt out of post?

We are working to move most outpatient services to send digital letters via MY CARE, but there are some services that only send appointment information via post. Some services, such as Radiology, have letters generated via a different system and will remain outside of MY CARE. Patients without an active MY CARE account will continue to receive communication by post.

Why am I receiving multiple text messages about my appointments?

On the ‘Communication Preferences’ page, texts are controlled in two places, in the ‘Appointments’ section and in the ‘Messages’ section.

If you are receiving two texts per appointment and you would only like to receive one, you need to change your communication preferences.

To receive one text for each appointment we recommend having text message toggled on under the ‘Messages’ section and toggled off under the ‘Appointments’ section.

The ‘Appointment Notification and Information’ section just controls how you hear about appointments. To find and update the ‘Appointment and Notification’ section:

1) From the ‘Communication Preferences’ page click on the ‘Appointments’ section to expand it.

2) Click ‘Advanced Settings’ to expand it further.

3) Locate the ‘Appointment Notification and Information’ section.

 
4) Toggle text message OFF (grey).

The ‘New Message’ section controls how you hear about any new message in MY CARE (including appointments). To find and update the ‘New Message’ section:

1) From the ‘Communication Preferences’ page, click on the ‘Messages’ section to expand it.

2) Click ‘Advanced Settings’ to expand further.

3) Locate the ‘New Message’ section.

4) Toggle text message ON (green).

How do I change my communication preferences for those people that I have proxy access to?

As well as being able to change your own communication preferences, you can also change your communication preferences for the notifications that you receive about the people that you have proxy access to.

1. Once logged into your MY CARE account, click on your name at the top of the screen and select the person who you would like to change your communication preferences for.

2. Once you are viewing their account, access the Communication Preferences page as normal. You will be editing your communication preferences for their account; this will not change the proxy’s own communication preferences.

Where can I find information about past appointments?

You will be able to see these on the ‘Visits’ page.

MY CARE does not display your full historical hospital and specialist community care record. When you sign up to MY CARE you will see most of your upcoming scheduled appointments and surgery/procedures and you may see some information such as recent test results and letters. You will only see information from the date your organisation started using the Electronic Patient Record. Anything before the following go live dates will not appear:

• Royal Devon (Eastern Services): 10/10/2020

• Royal Devon (Northern Services): 09/07/2022

• Torbay and South Devon: 03/04/2026

• University Hospitals Plymouth: 23/07/2026

Should you wish to request a full formal copy of your hospital record, please make a Subject Access Request.

Deactivating your MY CARE account does not delete your medical record data, it only stops your access to it via MY CARE.

If you have decided that you no longer wish to use MY CARE and would like to deactivate your account, you can either do it yourself via MY CARE or by contacting the MY CARE Helpdesk on: rduh.mycarehelp@nhs.net or call 01392 404664, 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.

Follow these steps to deactivate your MY CARE account via MY CARE:

• From the home page, click the Menu button.

• From the menu, locate and click on ‘Account Settings’ from the settings section.

• Click ‘Deactivate’ account, located at the bottom of the screen.

• Read the information on the screen.

• If you wish to still continue with deactivating your account click ‘Deactivate’.

• Click ‘Yes’ to confirm your decision.

 
Your account has now been deactivated and you will be logged out. You have now lost access to MY CARE and its features.

If any other MY CARE users have access to your medical information as a proxy, they will continue to have this access even after your account is deactivated.

If you would like to reactivate your account you can contact the MY CARE Helpdesk on 01392 404664 to discuss options for reactivating your account.

Date issued: June 2026

Review date: June 2028

Leaflet section: MY CARE

PDF: Information about your video appointment [pdf] 325KB

Your clinician would like to have a video appointment with you. Both you and your clinician will be able to see and hear each other using a secure online video service.

This is conducted over the internet on your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone, instead of requiring you to attend one of our hospital sites.

It is just as important as a face-to-face appointment, and your clinician will want to talk with you about the same things by video as they would face-to-face.

Why am I having a video appointment?

Your clinician has recommended a video appointment is appropriate to assess you. It allows a clinician to see you whilst enabling you to talk comfortably about your health wherever it suits you.

Video appointments can be more convenient, saving you time and money and reducing the stress of travelling to an appointment at the hospital. 

What do I need to have a video appointment?

• We need to have your current email address or mobile number on record to send you the joining link. If you’re not sure if we have your current details, please call the number on your appointment letter to check and update us.
• It helps to be signed up to MY CARE. MY CARE is the easiest way to see your future appointment details and joining links for video appointments. We encourage you to sign up to MY CARE via our website: https://mycare.exe.nhs.uk/ or by downloading the app - search for ‘My Chart’ in the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android), then select University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust from the list within the app.
  
  • The app on your phone or tablet is called MyChart and looks like this:

• • The URL to log in via a web browser is https://mycare.exe.nhs.uk/ and looks like this:

·         Good connection to the internet

·         A quiet, private, well-lit area where you will not be disturbed

·         A PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone with web browser and camera, speakers and microphone (these will already be part of many laptops, tablets and smartphones). Make sure your device will have enough power for your appointment.

We are using Microsoft Teams for video appointments. You do not need to have a Microsoft Teams account or app to have a video appointment. If you have used MS Teams or Zoom previously then this process will be very similar.

How do I join my video appointment?

The day before your appointment, we will send you your joining link by email and text, to the email address and/or phone number we have on record. You can also find your joining link in MY CARE.

If you’re not sure if we have your current contact details, please call the number on your appointment letter to check and update us, or update your information in MY CARE.

You can join your appointment 15 minutes before it is due to begin.

 To join via MY CARE

1.    Log into your MY CARE account

2.    On the home page you will have a section for your Video Visit. Click ‘Join visit’.

3.    The video appointment will open in the internet browser of the device you are using. For example, this could be Google Chrome or Safari.

To join from email with a link

When you’re ready, click the link in your email and the video appointment will open in the internet browser of the device you are using. For example, this could be Google Chrome or Safari.

To join from text message with a link

When you’re ready, click the link in your text message and the video appointment will open in the internet browser of the device you are using. For example, this could be Google Chrome or Safari. 

If you click on the link from a text message, you will be using your mobile phone to join the video appointment. If you prefer to use a tablet or computer, as the screen size makes it easier for you to see the clinician, you will want to use the link sent to you by email.

Once you have clicked the link to begin your video appointment

1.    You will see this screen until the clinician joins your appointment.

Delays may occur, and we apologise if there is any delay with your video appointment. We will send you a text and/or email if we are running late, with a phone number to contact if you are still waiting after 30 minutes.

2. Once the clinician joins the appointment you will be prompted to enter your name in the box, then click ‘Get started’.

3.    Check your camera and microphone are on. If you are having issues, click on ‘Device settings’ and check that Microsoft Teams is connecting to the correct devices. Once you are ready, click ‘Enter lobby’. 

4.    Your clinician will admit you into the video appointment when they are ready.

During your video appointment

Once in the appointment with your clinician, you have access to the toolbar at the bottom of the screen. The layout might be slightly different depending on what device you are using.

These are some of the features in the toolbar:

Share screen: If the clinician has asked you to share something on your screen, click this and select the window, screen, or application to share

Video on/off: Click this button to toggle your camera on/off  

Mic on/off: Click this button to toggle your microphone on/off

Settings: Click this to control which devices you are using for your sound, microphone, and camera

More actions: Click this to be given the option to turn on live captions

Leave call: Click this once you have finished with the video appointment

Messages: Click this to access the text chat functionality.The clinician may put information in here, such as a link to a website they think will be helpful for you. You can also put text in here. Please note that you will not be able to access the chat once you leave the video appointment, so make a note of anything you would like to reference later.

Participants: Click this to view the participants of the meeting 

 

Is it secure?

Video appointments are secure. Your privacy is protected.

There is no need to create an account and no information that you enter is stored.

Every video appointment has a unique link, so only those invited will be able to join. Anyone additional who needs to join your appointment, such as an interpreter, will be agreed with you and they will be specifically invited to your appointment.

You will need to make sure that you are in a private area when you have your video appointment.

If you are familiar with using Microsoft Teams for work, you may know that meetings can be recorded. Your appointment with us will not be recorded.

 

How should I prepare for my appointment?

Please be sure that:

·         You are available to speak to the clinician and your device is loud enough

·         You have a list of all your current medication (prescribed and non-prescribed) and any documentation relevant to your condition or appointment

·         You have a pen and paper ready to write down any notes

·         You are somewhere quiet and free from distractions. This should be a place where you can talk privately without background noise such as televisions, radios and pets.

·         You have written down a list of any questions you want to ask, so you don’t forget them

We try to keep our leaflets as up to date as possible, but sometimes we need to make changes quickly. For the latest information, please go to our website: www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk

Please contact the department if you require any specific communication support or other relevant assistance for this appointment. You are welcome to have a partner, carer or significant other present during the video appointment.

 

What happens if I have issues connecting?

If you cannot hear the clinician, or the clinician cannot see or hear you, check that your speakers, camera and microphone are all turned on.

If you drop out of the video appointment, you can re-join easily. You can click on the original joining link in your email, text message or in MY CARE to join the appointment again.

If you are unable to re-join the video appointment, contact the clinical team on the phone number in the text or email appointment reminder that we sent to you.

If you accidentally leave the video appointment and would like to re-join, click ‘Try to join again’ and if the clinician is still in the video appointment, they will let you re-join.

 

How much does a video call cost?

The video call is free (except for your internet usage). If you’re connecting from a tablet or smartphone, try to connect to a home or work Wi-Fi network to avoid using your mobile data allowance.

 

What if I need to change or cancel appointment?

If you are unable to attend this appointment, please notify us at least three days before your appointment date by contacting us using the details on your appointment letter. This will allow us enough time to offer another patient the appointment slot.

 

What happens if I miss my appointment?

Please ensure you make every effort to attend your appointment. One missed appointment costs the NHS around £160.

Some of our services have appointment reminders, so you may receive text messages or phone calls to remind you about your appointment. If you wish to opt out of this service, please contact the department on the booking letter.

If you do miss an appointment the clinician will decide on the next step, which could include re-booking your appointment or discharging you back to your GP.

 

What if I don’t want my appointment to be by video?

Your clinician has recommended a video appointment after considering a number of clinical factors, and also taking into account what they know about your individual communication needs.

If you feel a video appointment is unsuitable for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us using the phone number at the top of your appointment letter. An alternative consultation can be discussed with your clinician, which could be a telephone or face-to-face appointment.

 

Can I invite someone to join the appointment with me?

If you would like to invite someone to attend your appointment with you, you can either have them in the room with you when you conduct the video appointment or you can get a joining link sent via email or text to the person you would like to invite.

Inviting someone via MY CARE

·         Log into MY CARE

·         Click ‘View details’ on your video appointment tile. If the appointment is not visible on the home page, go to the Visits page and click on the appointment or click the details button for the appointment

·         Locate the ‘View and invite participants’ section and click on it

·         Click ‘Invite a new guest’

·         You will be able to select anyone you have previously invited to a video appointment, any proxies for your MY CARE account, or invite a new guest. Select the relevant option and check or enter the details of the person you would like to invite.

·         Click ‘Send invitation’

·         The guest will then be sent an email or text containing a link to join the video appointment

Inviting someone if you don’t have MY CARE

·         Call the department using the phone number on your appointment letter and tell them who you would like to invite to your video appointment and their email address and/or phone number. The department will then send them an email or text containing a link to join your video appointment.

 

What happens if I need an interpreter?

We can request for an interpreter to be on the video appointment with your clinician. Please ask a family member or friend to call the number on your appointment letter as soon as possible and tell us what language is needed, if you have not already discussed this with us.

 

What happens after my video appointment?

We will send a letter to your GP after your appointment, and we will send a copy of this letter to you. If you DO NOT wish to have a copy of this letter, please contact the department.

 

© 2025 Epic Systems Corporation

The MY CARE App is powered by MyChart® licensed from Epic Systems Corporation, © 1999-2026

 

Other formats

If you need this leaflet in another format such as Braille, large print, high contrast, British Sign Language or translated into another language, contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS):

• 01752 439694

• plh-tr.PALS@nhs.net 

Frequently asked questions are available on the MY CARE portal.