To ensure the highest standards of data safety, patient search and messaging in Accurx Web will be available only to trusts with a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) in place with Accurx. This is effective from the 2nd of November 2026.
If your organisation doesn’t have one yet, everyone in your organisation’s workspaces will see the Test Patient Experience instead of real patients. (GP practices and other non-trust organisations are not affected.)
This article explains what this means, what you can still do, and how your organisation can get full access.
How can my organisation get a Data Processing Agreement with Accurx?
To unlock real patient messaging, your organisation needs an active Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with Accurx. This ensures that all patient data is handled in line with the highest security and compliance standards.
What you can do:
Check with your trust's decision-maker: See if an agreement is already being processed for your team.
Contact our Partnerships Team: If you are a decision-maker and want to discuss a contract for your service, please reach out to the team via partnerships@accurx.com.
What is the Test Patient Experience?
The Test Patient Experience is an environment where you can explore Accurx features using test patients instead of real patient records.
It is designed to give you a safe space to build confidence by:
Drafting and sending messages: Practice exactly how a message will look and feel to a patient.
Navigating Accurx: Explore the interface and features without worrying about affecting a real medical record.
FAQs
Why am I seeing test patients instead of real ones?
Why am I seeing test patients instead of real ones?
Accurx is committed to high standards of data governance. We provide access to real patient data (via the Personal Demographics Service) once a formal agreement is in place between your organisation and Accurx.
From the 2nd of November 2026, real patient search is only available to organisations with an agreement in place. If you’re unable to search for a real patient, it means your organisation (e.g., your trust or service) does not have a formal agreement with Accurx yet. This applies even if you could search for real patients before.
You can still see and reply to your existing conversations, and any scheduled messages will still send.
I have access in one workspace, but not another. Why?
I have access in one workspace, but not another. Why?
Access to real patients is managed at the organisation level. If you work across multiple workspaces, they may belong to different organisations:
If a workspace belongs to a trust organisation with an agreement with Accurx, you can search for and message real patients.
If a workspace belongs to a trust organisation without an agreement in place, you will see the Test Patient Experience.
Which features are affected by Test Patient Experience?
Which features are affected by Test Patient Experience?
If you're in the Test Patient Experience, the following features will be affected:
Sending patient messages (including viewing patient profile)
Sending GP messages
Patient Lists
Record View
Batch Messaging
You can still see and reply to your existing conversations, and any scheduled messages will still send.
I could search for real patients before. Why can’t I now?
I could search for real patients before. Why can’t I now?
From the 2nd of November 2026, real patient search is only available to trust organisations with a Data Processing Agreement with Accurx. If your organisation doesn’t have one yet, you’ll now see the Test Patient Experience, even if you used real patients before. You can still see and reply to your existing conversations.
To restore access, ask your trust's decision maker to contact partnerships@accurx.com.
Test Patient Messaging
1. When you start a new message via the 'New' button or the patient search icon, a test patient will automatically be selected.
2. Because you are using test patient data, you can test these features freely without any risk of using a real patient's profile.
Here you can enter your own mobile number or email address. This allows you to receive the message on your own device and see exactly what your patients will see 👇
Accessing the Accurx Inbox in Test Patient Experience
Once your messages have been sent, you will be able to view them in your Accurx inbox, along with every other message sent from the workspace.
You can access the Accurx inbox by selecting the 'Inbox' option at the top of your Accurx page 👇
To view only messages you've sent from your account, access the 'Sent & scheduled' tab within 'My inbox'.
If you have any further questions or feedback, please get in touch with our support team using the message bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of this page 👉”