NHS England has launched the “Tap the app” campaign to encourage greater use of the NHS app, which now features new functionalities. Patients can now track when prescriptions are issued and view their prescribed medication. Moreover, those without a nominated pharmacy can use a barcode in the app to collect prescriptions from any pharmacy electronically. Patients waiting for elective hospital treatment can also see the average waiting time for their procedure.
The app has experienced significant growth, with a 45% increase in repeat prescriptions ordered electronically over the past year, totalling 3.1 million requests monthly. Electronic orders save GP practices time, with app orders expected to save 1.85 million hours in 2024. Patients save an average of 18 minutes per online order.
Vin Diwakar, NHS England’s national director for transformation, highlights the app’s transformative impact on healthcare management, urging users to explore its features. As of December 2023, over 75% of adults in England had the NHS app on their mobile phones. The app also offers messaging for 97% of GP practices, with over 52 million messages sent in 2023.