You may notice a Johns Hopkins risk score or risk stratification recorded in your GP health record. This is a tool used by the NHS to help GP practices identify patients who may benefit from additional support or proactive healthcare.

What is risk stratification?

Risk stratification is a way of using information already held in your medical record—such as your age, long-term health conditions, medicines, and previous use of healthcare services—to estimate how likely you are to need healthcare in the future.

The Johns Hopkins risk stratification tool groups patients according to their overall health needs. It does not diagnose illness or predict exactly what will happen to an individual.

Why is it used?

GP practices use risk stratification to help:

Identify patients who may benefit from closer monitoring or earlier intervention.

Plan services to meet the needs of the practice population.

Support the management of long-term conditions.

Help reduce avoidable hospital admissions where possible.

Ensure healthcare resources are directed to patients with the greatest clinical need.

The score is one of many pieces of information that healthcare professionals may consider when planning your care.

Does it affect my treatment?

No. The risk score does not make decisions about your care on its own. It is an administrative and clinical planning tool that supports healthcare professionals. Any decisions about your treatment will always be based on your individual circumstances and discussion with you.

Why can I see it in my notes?

Many GP practices now provide patients with online access to their medical records. As a result, you may see information that is primarily used by healthcare professionals, including risk scores and other administrative codes.

Seeing a Johns Hopkins risk score in your record does not mean there is something wrong or that you have been diagnosed with a new condition. It simply indicates that your practice uses this tool as part of routine population health management and care planning.

How is my information protected?

The information used to calculate the risk score comes from your existing NHS health record and is handled in accordance with UK data protection legislation and NHS confidentiality requirements. Only authorised healthcare professionals involved in your care can access your identifiable health information.

If you have any questions about information you see in your medical record, please contact the practice, and a member of the team will be happy to explain it.

Published: Jul 21, 2026