The NHS App helps Midlands’ residents manage their healthcare needs from their smartphone

Over 9 million Midlands residents logged into the NHS App in November. 

In the last month (November 2024) there were over nine million log-ins to the NHS App from Midlands patients (3.7m in the East Midlands and 5.3m in the West Midlands) as the NHS encourages those not yet using the App to download it to help manage their health on their smartphone.

As the health service combats its busiest ever start to winter, the NHS wants to ensure that patients have easy access to care, amid a rapid rise of seasonal viruses such as flu, RSV, norovirus and Covid.

In November alone there were over 9m log-ins to the NHS App from Midlands residents (East Midlands = 3.6m and West Midland = 5.4m) to access services such as NHS111; repeat prescriptions; view healthcare records and book appointments.

Patients can use the App to ensure they do not run out of vital medicines over the Christmas period at the touch of a button instead of needing to call into a pharmacy or ring their GP.   The number of repeat prescriptions requested from patients using the App in the Midlands in November was nearly 1 million almost double the previous year (East Midlands = 452,500; West Midlands = 523,500).

The NHS App also helps people book appointments at their GP practice which means those that don’t wish to don’t have to call their practice at specific times.  Last month 51,000 appointments were booked in Midlands GP practices (West Midlands = 29,500 and East Midlands = 21,500). 

In the Midlands, there have been 5.5m downloads of the NHS App (2.5m in East Midlands, 3m in WMs) and new features are being added regularly.  Earlier this month, the NHS set out reforms to ensure more women can make the most of cancer screening at the touch of a button, announcing the rollout of a new 'ping and book' service that will send alerts to phones to remind women they are due or overdue an appointment, to help improve uptake and save thousands of lives.

The plans began with invitations for breast screening being sent directly through the NHS App and will be expanded to include cervical screening in Spring 2025, with new functionality being developed to enable millions to book screening through the app next year.

Dr Joanne Watt, Associate Director for Primary Care, NHS Midlands, said: "Midlands residents should download the NHS App this winter. It's the best gift you can give yourself and loved ones, as using it gives you access to ordering repeat prescriptions, checking and managing hospital and GP appointments, viewing medical records and other services.

"Join the millions who have already downloaded the NHS App in the Midlands, and visit www.nhs.uk/nhs-app."

Dr Vin Diwakar, National Transformation Director at NHS England, said: "The NHS is going into winter busier than ever before with the threat of an unprecedented 'quad-demic', so we want to make sure that people know the best way to access care.  

"The NHS App is available 24 hours a day for everything from ordering a repeat prescription to checking advice on a medical condition, so you can ensure your Christmas isn’t ruined because you have run out of vital medicines.

"So, I would encourage anyone who doesn’t have the NHS App on their phone, or has not used it for a while, to unwrap the app this Christmas to help them stay well over the festive season.

"As ever, please continue to use A&E and 999 in life-threatening emergencies or use 111 Online through the NHS App for less urgent conditions."

The 12 ways of using the NHS App this Christmas are:

Medications

1. Order a repeat prescription
2. Nominate a pharmacy to make it easier to collect prescriptions
3. Find your nearest pharmacy that’s open
4. Check NHS advice on taking different medicines

Health advice

1. Check if you need urgent medical help using 111 online
2. Have your GP health record to hand when you’re on the move
3. Find Services near you like sexual health clinics and dentists
4. Check your health status for your new year resolutions with the BMI, BP and Heart Age tool

Appointments

1. Check and manage hospital appointments and GP ones
2. Turn on message notifications to avoid missing appointments from your GP and Hospital

Get involved in improving the NHS

1. Sign up to be part of health research
2. Have your say on making the NHS fit for the future

Details on how to register with the NHS App are available at www.nhs.uk/nhs-app