NHS app begins public rollout

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The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has begun the public rollout of the NHS app, which provides online access to NHS services.

The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has begun the public rollout of the NHS app, which provides online access to NHS services.

Following testing of the app with 3,000 patients and 30 GP practices in the final months of 2018, the app is now being made available across England. Each GP practice must review its systems to make the app available to their patients. When available, the app will enable patients to:

  • Check symptoms
  • Book and manage GP appointments
  • Order repeat prescriptions
  • View their medical records

All users of the app have immediate access to the symptom-checker functionality, and can request notification when their GP practice is connected, and the other functions are made available. Most practices will go live between April and June 2019, with the NHS App expected to be fully rolled out to practices and patients by 1 July 2019.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “I love the NHS so I want it to use all modern technology to serve patients. The NHS App will give patients more control over their own healthcare and revolutionise the way we access services. It marks a shift towards a truly digitised NHS… We will continue to add new features in the future to make the app the one stop shop for all NHS services, as part of our long-term plan to build the most advanced health and care system in the world.”