Patients at all acute NHS trusts now able to check appointments in NHS App

Patients at every acute trust in England are now able to view appointments and referrals through the NHS App.

Nearly two thirds (64%) of appointments are visible through the app, with many patients also able to reschedule or cancel them directly through it, the NHS has announced.

Jules Hunt, Director General of Technology, Digital and Data for the NHS, said the technology is helping to reduce the number of missed appointments and freeing up time for NHS staff.

He said: “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.

“This is a great example of how we’re transforming patients’ experience of healthcare and harnessing digital technology as part of the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan.”

Around 41 million people are registered to use the NHS App, with more than 15 million having logged into the service in March alone. This represents an increase of almost a third in the last 12 months.

Aside from appointments, users are able to view test results, prescriptions, their medical records, and messages through the app, with the number of people who have ordered prescriptions through it also having risen by over a third in the same time period.

Dr Zubir Ahmed, Health Innovation and Safety Minister, said that the tool was “transforming how people manage their care”.

He said: “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.

“Fewer missed appointments means more patients getting the treatment they need, sooner. The NHS App is central to our ambition of shifting the NHS from analogue to digital and giving the patient more control – and we’re only just starting there.”

Those undergoing treatment at around half of trusts can receive appointment reminders through the app via push notifications, as well as see documents such as health summaries.

The current situation represents a shift from this time last year, when only 87% of hospitals offered services through the NHS App.

The NHS intends to continue making improvements to the service going forward, with plans to introduce follow-up appointment requests to the app next year. The NHS’ new online hospital, ‘NHS Online’, will also be based on the app.