Jess’s Law: What is it about?

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Jess’s Law: What It Means for Our Patients

Jess’s Law is a national initiative designed to make sure that every patient can access the right healthcare safely and without delay. It was introduced following the tragic death of 16‑year‑old Jess Anderson, who was unable to receive urgent test results because her GP practice could not confirm her identity. Jess’s Law aims to prevent this from ever happening again.

Why Jess’s Law Matters

Healthcare teams must be confident that they are speaking to the correct person before sharing medical information. This protects your privacy and ensures that important results or messages reach you quickly and safely.

Jess’s Law strengthens this process by encouraging GP practices to:

  • Confirm a patient’s identity before sharing test results or sensitive information
  • Make it easier for patients to update their contact details
  • Reduce delays caused by incorrect or missing information
  • Improve safety for everyone, especially young people and vulnerable patients

What We May Ask From You

To help us follow Jess’s Law, we may ask you to confirm your identity when:

  • You request test results
  • You ask for information about your medical record
  • You contact us by phone or online
  • You change your address, phone number, or email

This might include confirming your date of birth, address, or showing a form of ID if you visit the surgery.

How This Helps You

Following Jess’s Law means:

  • Your results reach you promptly
  • We can contact you quickly if something urgent arises
  • Your personal information stays secure
  • We avoid mix‑ups between patients with similar names

Our goal is always to provide safe, reliable care — Jess’s Law supports us in doing exactly that.

Keeping Your Details Up to Date

One of the most important parts of Jess’s Law is making sure we can reach you. If you change your phone number, email address, or home address, please let us know as soon as possible. Even small changes can make a big difference.

If You Have Questions

We understand that identity checks can sometimes feel inconvenient, but they are an essential part of keeping you safe. If you have any concerns or would like more information about Jess’s Law, why not click the link below:

NHS England » Jess’s Rule: Three strikes and we rethink