The NHS 24 Online app hits 20,000 downloads

The NHS 24 Online app is the latest online offering from NHS 24 - Scotland’s provider of digital and telephone healthcare services. 

It offers an alternative and easy to use solution for people seeking care to find out more about their symptoms and understand the next steps for treatment without  waiting in a virtual queue on the phone.

Since launching in late 2022, the app has reached 20,000 downloads.

It is particularly impactful for patients in remote areas who may have to travel long distances to get to clinical appointments, or to understand what their next steps are, such as those living in the Orkney and Shetland islands.

NHS 24 worked with Cluster Reply, a Microsoft Partner specialising in Azure, who developed the app, having identified the need for a more streamlined approach to healthcare service delivery that would alleviate pressure on the 111-service and NHS inform in a user-friendly way.

NHS 24 said given that the majority of callers to 111 are in the 18 to 34 age group, it made sense that users are more likely to want to access services through  a smart device. 

The app empowers patients to self-manage their problems more quickly, or make necessary plans to access resources that are not available on the phone. It has a virtual chatbot function to answer questions and get advice for a range of conditions. 

The ‘Find my Nearest’ function allows users living in Scotland to locate their nearest health and care services, including pharmacies, GP surgeries, dental practices, optometrists, minor injury units or sexual health clinics.  By using postcodes or location data, the app shows how far away each service is, if it is open or closed and contact details for that particular service.