The NHS has announced a significant update for millions of patients across England, enabling them to manage hospital referrals and appointments directly through the NHS App. The health service shared the news on social media this morning, April 29.
What the Update Means for Patients
In a post on X, the NHS stated: "You can now manage your hospital appointments using the NHS App!" NHS England added: "Hospital patients can now check their referrals and appointments through the NHS App. The NHS App is now linked up to every acute NHS trust in England, helping hospitals to save money by reducing the need for paper letters and text messages."
Around two-thirds (64%) of all hospital appointments are currently visible in the app. Many patients can also reschedule or cancel them, which helps reduce missed appointments. The app is linked to every acute NHS trust in England, freeing up staff time and resources, thereby increasing productivity and helping to reduce waiting lists.
Usage and Benefits
Approximately 41 million people are registered with the NHS App to access services, including test results, prescriptions, patient records, messaging, and appointment information. According to the NHS, more than 15 million users logged into the app during March alone, an increase of nearly a third over the past year. Prescription ordering through the app also rose by more than a third, saving time for both patients and NHS staff.
Patients at all acute NHS trusts commissioned to provide services for adults can now view their referrals and appointments. There were 8.7 million views last month, up 93% compared to a year ago. People at around half of trusts can receive appointment reminders via push notifications, preventing missed appointments, and can view health documents like discharge summaries, reducing paperwork.
Future Developments
New features planned for the NHS App over the next year include follow-up appointment requests and access to specialist care through the NHS’s new online hospital. Jules Hunt, Director General of Technology, Digital and Data for the NHS, commented: "Millions of patients across England can now easily access information about their hospital referrals and appointments through the NHS App, giving them more control and choice about their care and cutting out unnecessary paperwork."
Dr Zubir Ahmed, Health Innovation and Safety Minister, said: "The NHS App is already transforming the way people manage their care — and these figures show just how popular it is. With patients at every hospital now able to view their referrals and appointments, and millions more ordering prescriptions and receiving health messages digitally, we are cutting the admin burden while helping to drive down waiting lists."
The NHS notes that NHS Online, which will see its first patients next year, will "transform and modernise the delivery of healthcare by providing triage through the NHS App and video consultations with doctors." The service aims to speed up specialist care by digitally connecting patients with expert clinicians across England, providing faster access to treatments. The NHS App has also been recently updated to be simpler and more intuitive, with key services like prescriptions, appointments, and test results quicker to find from the new homepage.
