NHS app to become default source for appointments, screenings and test results
Millions more people will receive personal health information directly to their smartphones within the next three years in a move that is expected to save the health service £200 million, the Department of Health and Social Care said.
It will also avoid the need for at least 50 million NHS letters being sent by post each year, with the Health Secretary likening the shift from analogue to digital to 'online banking or ordering a takeaway'.
The £50 million investment will see 270 million messages sent through the NHS app this year, an increase of 70 million on the previous financial year.
Push notifications will provide appointment reminders to patients to try to reduce the risk of no attendance, with around eight million missed appointments in elective care missed in 2023/24.
More than 11 million people in the UK currently log into the NHS app every month, while almost 20 million are opted in to receive healthcare messages from the app.
Where app messaging is not available, particularly for elderly patients without smartphones, communications will be sent via text message and then by letter as a last resort and phone lines will be freed up.
It is hoped the changes will give patients better access to manage their healthcare journey and make informed decisions about their care.
NHS app services, which were launched in December 2018, are now used in 87% of hospitals across England.
Last month, NHS England announced millions of patients would be able to get 'Amazon-style' tracking updates on their prescriptions through the app, to check if their medicines are ready to collect or have been despatched for delivery.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'People are living increasingly busy lives and want to access information about their health at the touch of a button, rather than having to wait weeks for letters that often arrive too late.
'This Government is bringing our analogue health service into the digital age, so that being a patient in the NHS is as convenient as online banking or ordering a takeaway.
'The NHS still spends hundreds of millions of pounds on stamps, printing, and envelopes. By modernising the health service, we can free up huge amounts of funding to reinvest in the front line.
'Through the investment and reform in our Plan for Change, we will make the NHS App the front door to the health service and put power in the hands of patients.'
Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patient's Association, said: 'This major upgrade to the NHS App marks a significant step in modernising how patients receive information, from test results to screening invitations.
'This was a recommendation from our Digital Coalition and realises changes that patients have asked for.
'We welcome this investment and the ambition behind it. Success for any digital innovation will be the implementation of the Digital Inclusion Plan and working directly with patients and communities.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
NHS staff sickness rate highest for 10 years as levels rise in 18 Scottish health boards
Scotland's struggling NHS is facing even more pressure after it emerged sickness rates among staff have reached the highest level for ten years. A new report revealed the rate for 2024-25 was 6.4 per cent – up from 6.2 per cent the previous year. The NHS Education for Scotland report showed that was 'the highest rate in the past ten years'. It comes after the Scottish Tories claimed patients are 'dying needlessly' as A&E departments see waiting times worsening amid fears of a winter disaster. The latest worrying sickness rates come despite the fact that in 2009 the Scottish Government set a national target which aimed to reduce the NHS staff absence rate to 4 per cent. However, new figures for the year to the end of March showed that sickness absence rates decreased in four NHS boards and increased in 18. At the Scottish Ambulance Service, the sickness absence rate increased by 0.8 per cent to 9.7 per cent – the highest sickness absence rate of any health board. The data showed the health service employed 161,333.8 whole time equivalent (WTE) staff – up 0.1 per cent on the previous year. That included 67,714.6 WTE nursing and midwifery staff, with the number of absences amongst this group falling by 23.1 per cent to 2,601.2 WTE posts. As well as that, the figures detailed a reduction in spending on bank and agency staff. Spending on agency medical and dental staff dropped by 16.7 per cent to £108million. The bill for agency and bank nursing staff fell for the first time, to £410million, with this linked to falling spending on agency workers. The report said: 'After more than doubling in a three-year period, total nursing bank and agency expenditure decreased during the past year.' A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'Our aim is to limit all agency use as much as possible.' It comes as Public Health Scotland revealed more than a third of patients were not seen within the four-hour target last week in Scotland's A&E departments. Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said the figures were 'nothing short of disgraceful'. He said: 'How many more families need to lose loved ones before John Swinney and Neil Gray finally come up with a plan to address this crisis?' The proportion of patients admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours fell from 66.9 to 64.9 per cent last week, even though attendances were fractionally down. Mr Gray said: 'I know that some people are still waiting too long for treatment, and I am determined to drive improvement.' Other figures showed a 3.2 per cent increase in cancer deaths over the past decade, with lung cancer was the most common killer.
Powys County Times
3 hours ago
- Powys County Times
My Dentist closure 'another nail in coffin' for town
THE impending closure of a dental surgery in Knighton has been described as 'another nail in the coffin' for the town. The My Dentist facility, in Wylcwm Place, will close on September 30, with patients receiving the news via letter from the practice. The practice has provided both NHS and private treatments since opening, but will cease to offer either service from the end of September. Knighton mayor Tom Taylor described it as 'bad news', with town councillor Sally Vaughan calling it a 'terrible outcome' for local residents. 'My Dentist have given/ended their NHS contract, so that will no longer leave an NHS dentist in the town,' Councillor Vaughan said in a letter to her fellow councillors. 'They say that there is (an) inability to recruit dentists into this area so, unfortunately, at this present time, My Dentist will close permanently on September 30. 'They said that obviously if things alter then they will reassess. 'This is a terrible outcome after being closed for some time and (after being) given hope that it would re-open. 'I think as a town council we need to write to our Assembly Members and the health board and see what they are going to do about the closure. 'We have to try something as the townspeople look to the council for help and guidance and we just cannot just sit back and do nothing. 'I am not sure if we can do a lot once their minds have been made up and, obviously with the lack of clinicians available to work here, it does not bode well. 'But we must ask the question for the town. It is important as there are very few if no NHS dentists in this area available to take on patients. 'I am sure there are plenty that would take on private patients but we need NHS dentistry here in Knighton.' Cllr Vaughan said she intends to contact Brecon and Radnorshire MS James Evans and report back to the council. The news of the closure was reported on the Knighton (Powys) Open Forum last week and greeted with sadness. 'This is a shame and a nightmare,' said one person. 'It's another nail in the coffin for Knighton,' added another, who said he has been driving to Ludlow for private treatment for a long time. 'No opticians no dentist, the little Co-op with no stock. It's shameful,' said one user. And another said: 'No dental practice whatsoever in Knighton now. 'We travel to Church Stretton for our dental treatment, have done since Orchard Corner closed and we didn't find out until someone told us three months later that they were closed, no letter or phone call. 'Knighton and Mid Wales is being totally left out of everything and anybody who dares to speak up for us gets immediately shot down in flames.'
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Boost focus and memory with this best-selling brain supplement users are calling a 'Brain fix! — Now 20% OFF
By Published: Updated: Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more Brain fog got ya down? We know life can get messy and, above all, stressful with so many things to do and little time to do them all. With so much on our plates, it can feel overwhelming and thus cause unwanted side effects such as insomnia and anxiety. Luckily, we just found a supplement on Amazon that is changing the game! Nature's Craft Nootropic Brain Supplement (90-day Supply) Do you feel like your brain could use a little boost? This daily supplement helps focus, memory, and so much more with just a small pill! Using a unique formula of nootropics, you can see a difference in everything from studying habits to sleep routines. When you subscribe you can snag a 90-day supply for 10 percent off! $24 Shop Nature's Craft is turning heads with their Nootropic Brain Supplement that uses naturally sourced powerhouses, such as Vitamin A, to support cognitive function. Whether you struggle with brain fog or restlessness, these daily pills may be your new Hail Mary. The bite-sized gel capsules are suited for both men and women and are no larger than a quarter! By taking two a day, you will slowly begin to see changes in your brain health from improved memory retention to better sleep. One user said: ' I have improved focus – I feel more mentally alert and less distracted throughout the day. Better memory retention – I can recall things more easily, which has been helpful for work and daily tasks. Sustained energy without jitters – Unlike coffee or energy drinks, this provides a more natural and steady mental boost without crashes.' Users are seeing real results with incredible stories of success. But like any supplement, the Nature's Craft Brain capsules take time to fully work with most users needing around 90 days to experience the effects. One user said: 'I love this product!!! I swear I have always had a hard time focusing (I truly think I'm undiagnosed ADHD) and this has been a game changer!!' If you have ever found yourself losing sleep, grasping at memories, or unable to finish a task — it is time to give Nature's Craft Brain Supplements a try. Get the five-star rated daily pills now on Amazon and save 10 percent when you subscribe!
