The British government has announced plans to launch a new NHS mobile app that will let patients in England make appointments with their doctor.

The app will also allow users to order repeat prescriptions, manage their long-term healthcare, see their medical records, and quickly access 111 for urgent queries.

NHS App
In addition, users will have access to patient preferences related to data sharing, organ donation, and end-of-life care.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt described the app as a "birthday present from the NHS to the British people", 70 years after the service was founded.

The NHS app is a world-first which will put patients firmly in the driving seat and revolutionize the way we access health services.

I want this innovation to mark the death-knell of the 8am scramble for GP appointments that infuriates so many patients.

Technology has transformed everyday life when it comes to banking, travel and shopping. Health matters much more to all of us, and the prize of that same digital revolution in healthcare isn't just convenience but lives improved, extended and saved.

As the NHS turns 70 and we draw up a long-term plan for the NHS on the back of our £394 million a week funding boost, it's time to catch up and unleash the power of technology to transform everyday life for patients.

"The new app will put the NHS into the pocket of everyone in England but it is just one step on the journey," said Matthew Swindells, NHS England National Director of Operations and Information. "We are also developing an NHS Apps Library and putting free NHS Wi-Fi in GP surgeries and hospitals."


Developed by NHS Digital and NHS England, the app will enter its testing phase in September and then roll out officially in December. It will be available on iOS devices through the App Store, as well as on Android phones via Google Play.

Top Rated Comments

jasonsmith_88 Avatar
83 months ago
The NHS could be fixed with ease. Ban free healthcare for drug addicts, alcoholics and obese - make them pay for their own self inflicated problems. Why should people who look after their health subsidise those who don’t?
Absolutely! And let's ban those who get injured in road accidents, because they knew the dangers and chose to drive anyway. But let's also ban it for those who choose to walk, because they knew spending time outside was exposing them to pollution. Let's also ban it for disabled people if the parents were warned in advance that conceiving would result in a high risk of disability. We should also ban it for anyone using any kind of machinery that has a non-zero chance of causing injury. But why stop there? Let's ban it for anyone that does anything that has a non-zero chance of injury, that's self-infliction and I'll be damned if I'm paying for that!

If you prefer a system where people needlessly die because "my tax money shouldn't go there", feel free to move to a country that doesn't have universal healthcare. There's plenty of them.

Meanwhile, the rest of us who believe that every human has a basic right to not die from completely curable ailments will continue to support a system that provides unbiased universal healthcare to everyone.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
matjamca Avatar
83 months ago
Why only in England?

I’m all for it though, absolutely stupid the current free for all system. Far too many pensioners taking all the appointments over nothing resulting in a nightmare for younger people trying to get an occasional appointment.

Sister nearly died of sepsis thanks to A, incredibly rude and unhelpful receptionist staff and B, pensioners taking forever while she nearly passed out in the waiting room.

The NHS could be fixed with ease. Ban free healthcare for drug addicts, alcoholics and obese - make them pay for their own self inflicated problems. Why should people who look after their health subsidise those who don’t?
Also give £20 fines for those who fail to turn up to appointments.

The UK lacks any sense of personal responsibility.
[doublepost=1530617944][/doublepost]

Perhaps focusing everything in one straight forward location is a good idea? I certainly think so.

A bit like the gov.uk website that focused all information in one place with easy to use and find interfaces.
Addiction, Alcoholism and Obesity are often linked with mental health problems such as depression. You cannot ban those patients from using the NHS.

Besides, those people will be paying tax one way or another and so would be more than entitled to NHS care.
[doublepost=1530624511][/doublepost]
Absolutely! And let's ban those who get injured in road accidents, because they knew the dangers and chose to drive anyway. But let's also ban it for those who choose to walk, because they knew spending time outside was exposing them to pollution. Let's also ban it for disabled people if the parents were warned in advance that conceiving would result in a high risk of disability. We should also ban it for anyone using any kind of machinery that has a non-zero chance of causing injury. But why stop there? Let's ban it for anyone that does anything that has a non-zero chance of injury, that's self-infliction and I'll be damned if I'm paying for that!

If you prefer a system where people needlessly die because "my tax money shouldn't go there", feel free to move to a country that doesn't have universal healthcare. There's plenty of them.

Meanwhile, the rest of us who believe that every human has a basic right to not die from completely curable ailments will continue to support a system that provides unbiased universal healthcare to everyone.
Well said!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gilligan's last elephant Avatar
83 months ago


The NHS could be fixed with ease. Ban free healthcare for drug addicts, alcoholics and obese - make them pay for their own self inflicated problems. Why should people who look after their health subsidise those who don’t?
Also give £20 fines for those who fail to turn up to appointments.

The UK lacks any sense of personal responsibility
.
So what about people who get injured participating in xtreme sports. That is self inflicted. Can of worms methinks :-)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johnyslats Avatar
83 months ago
Death-knell of the 8am scramble? Doubtful! Been managing my GP appointments online for a number of years and the first bookable slots are always weeks away. In my experience, anything more urgent will always require a call or 8am visit in person to secure an appointment
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gudd Avatar
83 months ago
How is this any different from the multiple apps that already exist? Seems like a waste of resources.
Agreed. Been doing this for several years now with the "Patient Access" application. OK, so "application" is stretching it a bit since it is just an app wrapper around the website but you could say that of many apps from lazy developers. I haven't needed to book an appointment with a doctor for years now (fortunately), but I've been ordering repeat prescriptions in the app for multiple years.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nnoble Avatar
83 months ago
People in the UK could give the NHS their own present by looking after themselves better and stop abusing the system.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

18 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Wednesday November 13, 2024 2:09 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 next month, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as well....
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases Firmware Updates for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday November 11, 2024 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released firmware updates for both AirPods 4 models (version number 7B20) and the AirPods Pro 2 with both Lightning and USB-C charging cases (version number 7B21). All of these AirPods models were previously on firmware version 7B19. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in firmware versions 7B20 and 7B21, but we will update this story if we find...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 Camera Modules to Enter Mass Production Next Month

Tuesday November 12, 2024 2:56 am PST by
Apple's camera module supplier for the upcoming iPhone SE 4 is set to begin mass production of the components in December, according to a new report coming out of Korea. Economic newspaper Ajunews reports that LG Innotek will supply the front camera module for the budget-friendly fourth-generation device. Final tests are now said to be underway, with mass production of the module following...
airpods pro spring blue

Apple Customers Sue Over Unfixed AirPods Pro Crackling Issue

Wednesday November 13, 2024 11:01 am PST by
A trio of Apple customers this month filed a class action lawsuit against Apple, accusing the Cupertino company of violating California consumer protection laws and false advertising for continuing to sell AirPods Pro models that had ongoing issues with crackling or static sounds. A few months after the AirPods Pro came out in October 2019, buyers began to complain about crackling, rattling, ...
iPad iOS 16 WP Display Feature eric edit

Apple to Launch AI-Powered Home 'Command Center' as Soon as March 2025

Tuesday November 12, 2024 1:09 pm PST by
Apple is planning to launch an AI-powered smart home display as soon as March 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The display will measure in at approximately six inches, and while it is similar to an iPad, it is square rather than rectangular and it has thick bezels around the edges. There is a camera at the top front so that it can be used for FaceTime, plus there are internal speakers...
new mac holiday

The Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals

Monday November 11, 2024 7:45 am PST by
Black Friday is getting closer, and prices on MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac mini computers have started to drop as the shopping holiday nears. These deals include the latest models of the M4 MacBook Pro and iMac. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site...
maxresdefault

M4 Max MacBook Pro: Real-World Usage Tests

Wednesday November 13, 2024 11:59 am PST by
Apple last week replaced the M3 Max MacBook Pro with the new M4 Max MacBook Pro, and we picked up one of the new high-end MacBook Pro machines to see how it compares to the prior model with both benchmarks and real-world tests. We tested an M4 Max with a 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, and 48GB RAM against an M3 Max MacBook Pro with similar specs. The two machines look similar, but the display on...
iOS 18

Here's Everything New in iOS 18.2 Beta 3

Monday November 11, 2024 4:53 pm PST by
Apple seeded the third betas of iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 to developers for testing today. While the third betas of each update are minor relative to the first two betas, there are still a handful of changes across the Photos app, TV app, and more. A corresponding iOS 18.2 public beta with these changes will likely be released later this week, and Apple previously confirmed that the software...
final cut pro magnetic mask

Apple Releases Final Cut Pro 11 for Mac

Wednesday November 13, 2024 3:02 pm PST by
Apple today announced the launch of major updates for its Final Cut Pro video editing software designed for Macs and iPads. Final Cut Pro has been version 10 since 2011, but after 13 years, Apple is finally ready to debut Final Cut Pro 11. Apple first teased a new version of Final Cut Pro when introducing the new M4 Macs in October, and now the updated software is available for download with ...