The NHS app is getting a major upgrade as part of the government’s plans to overhaul the NHS and reduce waiting times from 18 months to 18 weeks.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said on Sunday that changes to the app would help move the NHS “into the digital age”.
Mr Streeting said the app updates would “put patients in the driving seat and treat them on time”, putting patients in control of their healthcare.
Here’s what those changes to the NHS app look like so far.
What does the app do?
Currently, people can use the NHS app to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and choose the pharmacy they’d like to use to collect their medication.
People can also use it to see their GP health record, book COVID-19 vaccinations and register as an organ donor. The app can also show people their NHS number.
A small number of people, depending on their GP surgery or local hospital, can also currently use the app to message their GP surgery, manage their hospital or other healthcare appointments and care plans, and access services on behalf of someone they care for.
What will changes to the NHS app mean?
The feature that allows some patients to contact their GP or hospital through the app will be expanded to cover most people who require non-urgent treatment.
The upgraded platform will allow patients who need non-emergency elective treatment to choose from a range of providers, including those in the independent sector.
Users will also be able to view and manage appointments, book tests and checks at convenient locations such as community diagnostic centres, receive test results, and book any necessary follow up appointments, such as a remote consultation or surgery.
Hospitals will also be able to send out reminders, in a bid to help tackle the large number of missed appointments that occur every year.
How else will patients benefit from the NHS overhaul?
As part of the government’s plan, GPs will be able to refer some patients directly for tests or scans without the need for a more senior medical consultation first.
Community diagnostic centres will be open for longer, opening 12 hours a day, seven days a week where possible and offer a wider range of tests to increase the availability of testing services for patients around the country.
The NHS will also run a pilot AI program to help find patients who are likely to miss appointments and offer them extra support, including free transport, to ensure they get the treatment they require.
When will the NHS app changes start?
The government will bring in the app changes from March, allowing patients at the vast majority (more than 85 per cent) of acute NHS trusts to view their appointments in the app.
At that point, patients will also be able to contact their healthcare provider and receive updates including likely wait times through the platform.