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
91 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
91 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
91 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
91 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
91 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
91 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

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Three Months With These 12 New Features

Saturday June 21, 2025 2:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are around three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices from credible sources. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of June 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X...
iPhone 16 Battery Life Feature

iOS 26's New Battery Life Mode Available Only on These iPhone Models

Saturday June 21, 2025 9:02 am PDT by
Last week, we reported that iOS 26 introduces an opt-in Adaptive Power Mode on the iPhone, alongside the existing Low Power Mode. Apple says that Adaptive Power Mode can make "small performance adjustments" when necessary to extend an iPhone's battery life, including slightly lowering the display brightness or allowing some activities to "take a little longer." The full description of...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

iPhone Reportedly Moving to All-Screen Design in Two Stages

Sunday June 22, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
Apple has long been working towards an iPhone with an all-screen design, and it might finally achieve the feat in a few more years from now. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple will shrink the size of the Dynamic Island on new iPhone models released next year. A year after that, he expects Apple to release a redesigned 20th-anniversary iPhone model....
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 2

Monday June 23, 2025 2:57 pm PDT by
Apple provided developers with the second beta of iOS 26, introducing the first changes and refinements to the new operating system since it debuted after the WWDC keynote. Because we're early in the beta testing process, there are quite a few tweaks to iOS 26, which we've rounded up below. Control Center The background behind the Liquid Glass Control Center buttons has more blur, allowing...
ios 26 control center b2

iOS 26 Beta 2 Fixes Control Center Design

Monday June 23, 2025 10:58 am PDT by
With the second beta of iOS 26 that Apple provided to developers today, Apple addressed one of the major complaints that people have had with Liquid Glass. iOS 26 beta 1 on left, iOS 26 beta 2 on right The Control Center buttons are now slightly more opaque, making it easier to see the different control options even on a multicolored background. The new, more opaque look is apparent with the ...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro's Alleged Vapor Chamber Cooling System Partly Revealed

Sunday June 22, 2025 6:37 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models are rumored to be equipped with a vapor chamber cooling system, and a leaker known as Majin Bu today shared a photo of an alleged copper thermal plate for the system. Many high-end Android smartphones like Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra are equipped with a vapor chamber cooling system, which can manage heat dissipation inside the...
Wi Fi WiFi General Feature

iOS 26 Adding Two New Wi-Fi Features, Allows AirDrop and AirPlay Alternatives

Saturday June 21, 2025 7:02 am PDT by
iOS 26 is gaining two new Wi-Fi features, including Captive Assist and Wi-Fi Aware. MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris discovered a reference to Captive Assist within the code for the first iOS 26 developer beta, but Apple has yet to enable the feature. It should be available by the time the software update is released later this year. In his Power On newsletter last month, Bloomberg's...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 26 Includes These Five Smaller Features You Might Have Missed

Saturday June 21, 2025 11:18 am PDT by
While the dust is beginning to settle on the first iOS 26 beta, we continue to take a closer look at new features coming with the update. Below, we recap five smaller changes that you might have missed. Emoji Game Apple News+ subscribers in the U.S. and Canada can play a new Emoji Game, which tasks players with completing words and phrases with emoji. This is the fifth game that is...
airpods 4 blue

Apple Offering Free AirPods — Here's How to Get Them

Tuesday June 17, 2025 6:33 am PDT by
Apple is running a new promotion that offers free AirPods to qualifying customers. Now through September 30, college and university students in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Singapore can receive free AirPods 4 when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. AirPods Pro 2 are also available at a discount. If you do not want AirPods, the promotion also offers various other...