NHS App's popularity soars, reaches over six million users

OVER six million NHS patients can now benefit from easy access to personalised medical services, as well as access to Covid-19 vaccination status for travel via the NHS App.

There have been over two million new NHS App users since the Covid-19 vaccination status service was added on May 17, with almost five million distinct users logging into the app in the last month.

The positive impact of this increase in downloads is potentially life-saving, as over 51,000 people have registered their organ donation preference through the app since May 17, which is over five times more than in the month of April.

Moreover, the last month saw over 614,000 repeat prescriptions being ordered and over 50,000 GP appointments booked using the app, saving patients and clinicians valuable time.

Health secretary, Matt Hancock, said: “Technology undoubtedly plays a huge role in how we deliver healthcare now and in the future and it is great to see so many people downloading, using, and benefitting from the NHS App.

“It is vital we embrace the momentum we have built in using technology and innovation in the health and care sector over the last year as we look beyond the pandemic to improve treatment, care and the experiences of patients.”

Simon Bolton, interim chief executive at NHS Digital, said: “We’re delighted that the NHS App has proved so popular over the past month, and is helping people to quickly and easily provide proof of their vaccination status. We’re also seeing a big increase in the use of other features in the app, from registering organ donation preferences to booking appointments and ordering repeat prescriptions.”

The Covid-19 vaccine status service in the NHS App and NHS website has been built with user privacy and security at its heart, to ensure personal information is safe and secure at all times.