The NHS offers many different digital services that make getting health care help and accessing your records more accessible than ever. One of the most useful and commonly used is the NHS App.
What is the NHS App?
The NHS App is a smartphone application available for iPhone and Android. The app – owned and run by the NHS – is free for anyone to download and use.
What can I do with it?
With the NHS App, you have a wealth of useful features at your fingertips. The app can link directly with our clinical system, which means you can look up a test result, check your NHS number and reorder your prescription. You can choose a local pharmacy to have your prescription sent to directly, and with no need to call us, you can order your medication whenever suits you.
NHS 111’s symptom checker and self-help system are available through the NHS App, along with designated resources for covid-19.
You can also get your covid pass – proving your vaccination status – which may be needed for accessing domestic events or international travel, where that system is being used.
The app allows users to manage their organ donation preferences and make choices about how their health records are shared for planning and research.
How can I get it?
The NHS App is available as a free download from the App Store for Apple iOS devices, and the Google Play store for Android devices.
Follow the links or go to the store on your chosen device and tap to download.
How do I start using it?
Once you have installed the app on your device, you can start accessing the comprehensive A-Z of health conditions and treatments straight away.
For all other services, you will be guided through creating an NHS login. When you enter your information and verify your identity securely through the app, it will link up with our clinical system giving you access to your prescriptions, medical history, and other information.
To make logging into the app even easier, you can use a fingerprint or face scan, if your device supports that.
What else do I need to know?
Because the NHS app links to the medical records we hold as a GP practice, it is also linked to our clinical system and the services we offer. This means that the services and options available to each person may differ depending on which GP practice they are registered with.
For example, other GP practices may allow patients to book their own appointments through the app. Because our digital-first approach through Salvie means patients interact directly with us and often reach resolutions without needing to be seen in person, this option isn’t relevant to JHP patients.
The app is free to download and use and is owned 100% by the NHS. By installing the app and creating an account of logging in, you are not sharing any of your details with any additional third parties. Within the app, you can see how your data is shared for your health care within the NHS, how it is used for research and planning, and edit your preferences