The NHS App, which launched three years ago today (December 31), is one of the UK’s most downloaded apps, health bosses say.
The app provides quick and secure access to a variety of digital health services as well as the NHS COVID Pass.
NHS digital said more than 22m people have now signed up to the NHS App, with more than 18m new registrations since the NHS COVID Pass was added on May 17. It was also the most downloaded free iPhone app this year.
Simon Bolton, interim chief executive at NHS Digital, said: “The NHS App was one of the most downloaded apps this year, with more than 22 million people using it.
“The NHS App has played a central role in the fight against COVID-19 helping to enable international travel and access to major events.
“It has also changed the way millions of adults in England access healthcare services in the three years since its launch, with people using the NHS App to book GP appointments, order repeat prescriptions, access the NHS COVID Pass service and register organ donation decisions.”
Since the NHS App was launched, a total of 10.4m repeat prescriptions have been ordered and 1.1m GP appointments have been booked via the App, saving valuable time for patients and clinicians.
In the past six months, 6.2m repeat prescriptions have been ordered and 641,000 GP appointments have been booked.
Additionally, a total of 316,000 people have used the NHS App to manage their organ donation decision, with more than 170,000 registrations in the last six months.
Registering a preference helps NHS specialist nurses to quickly understand what people want to happen to their organs, and enables them to discuss their wishes directly with their family.
More than 140m COVID Passes have been generated through the NHS App and NHS website since the service was added this May.
The NHS COVID Pass is used for sharing COVID-19 vaccination records or test results when travelling abroad or attending certain events and venues domestically.
Since December 15, to enter certain venues and events in England, those aged 18 and over have needed to use their COVID Pass to show either their vaccination status, result from a PCR or rapid lateral flow test within the last 48 hours, or exemption from vaccination.
Minister for innovation, Lord Kamall, said: “Technology has been a lifeline for so many during the pandemic and, crucially, it has helped us in our fight against COVID-19.
“Many of us are grateful for how communications technology allowed us to keep in touch with loved ones. In addition, better technology has also helped improve our system of healthcare by allowing clinicians to remotely monitor the health of patients, enabling people to order prescriptions online and to access their COVID-19 vaccine records, making events and travel safer.
“We are committed to continuing to build on the progress we’ve seen to transform the health and social care sector and we must all continue to do our part to keep everyone safe, Get Boosted Now.”
