Are you using the NHS App?
The NHS App is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services and information on your smartphone or tablet. Millions of people are already using it to manage their health the easy way, from ordering a prescription to checking their records from the comfort of their homes.
The NHS App was launched in December 2018, and provides a digital route to access a wide, and increasing, range of NHS health and care services. It forms a key role in supporting the NHS Long Term Plan commitment that every patient should have access to digital-first primary care by 2023/24.
If you are over the age of 16 the NHS App enables you to view your GP health record to help you better understand and manage your condition, without having to phone your GP surgery. With the App you can access your consultation notes, letters and test results.
The NHS App also enables you to manage repeat prescriptions and easily change your nominated pharmacy, so you can send orders when it’s convenient for you. Each prescription ordered electronically saves GP practices three minutes of time and a patient 18 minutes, making it more convenient for people and freeing up frontline staff to do other important duties.
- Get instant advice: Get information about a variety of medical conditions and find out what to do if you think you have them.
- Order repeat prescriptions: See your available medicines, request a new repeat prescription and choose a pharmacy for your prescriptions to be sent to.
- Book appointments: Search for, book and cancel appointments at your GP surgery, and see details of your upcoming and past appointments.
- Check your symptoms: Search trusted NHS information and advice on hundreds of conditions and treatments, and get instant advice or medical help near you.
- Register your organ donation decision: Choose to donate some or all of your organs and check your registered decision.
- Find out how the NHS uses your data: Choose if data from your health records is shared for research and planning.
- View parts of your GP record: Including information about medication, allergies, vaccinations, previous illnesses and test results. You can also see communications between your GP surgery and other services, such as hospitals.
- Access 111 online: Get access to NHS 111 online to get instant advice or medical help near you.
- Keep track of your hospital appointments: The App makes it easy to access your appointment information and manage your hospital appointments.
Download and install the NHS App on the Google Play (Android device) or App Store (Apple device) HERE.
Or you can log in to the NHS App online HERE. You must sign in with your NHS login. If you do not have one, you must create one.
How it works
- Set up an NHS login account by entering your email address and creating a password.
- You will receive an email asking you to log in.
- Enter your mobile phone number and enter the security code received by SMS.
- Patients will need to prove their identity by either:
- Sending a photo of your ID (UK/EU driving license or passport or European national ID card) and recording a video of your face while saying 4 random numbers shown to you
- Entering registration details obtained from your GP practice, e.g. linkage key, practice ID/ODS code and an account ID
- Enter your NHS number. If you don’t know it, you can find your NHS number HERE or, enter your name, date of birth and postcode.
- You will receive an email to confirm you are able to use their NHS login to sign in.
- When logging in, you will be asked for your email and password, and to enter a security code sent to yourmobile phone number.
Please be aware that it can take up to 2 hours for verification of ID
Patients will need to click ‘connect to their GP surgery’ and accept conditions of use for access to the full range of features. If the GP surgery is not connected, you can only use the app to check your symptoms and find out what to do if you need help urgently.
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Registering for the NHS app without photo id. Did you know you could register for the NHS app even if you do not have photo ID? If you are registered for your GP surgery's online services, you will have been given 3 registration details. The 3 registration details are: Linkage key (could be call passphrase), ODS code (could be called organisation code or practice ID), Account ID.
By entering these details into the app, this will prove your identity to use the NHS app.
Your surgery will only be able to provide these details if you have an email address already registered with the surgery. If you do not, you will need to verify your ID with the surgery before these details can be sent out. If you do not have a photo ID in order to do this, you can verify yourself by correctly answering a short series of questions based on information from within your medical records.
To find out how to order repeat prescriptions, please follow the instructions below.
How it works
- Click Homepage or ‘Services’ icon
- Select ‘Request repeat prescriptions’.
- Patients can view or nominate their chosen pharmacy.
- After selecting the medicine(s) you want to order, the request is sent directly to the GP surgery for sign-off and issued to the nominated pharmacy.
Once an order is placed, you can view your repeat prescriptions status and history, including when an item was last ordered.
For more information about how to order prescriptions via the app please visit the NHS website below.
Or take a look at the video below for an easy guide to ordering your prescriptions on the NHS App.
Patients can now use the NHS App to book and manage their GP appointments through Rapid Health. Merely go to the Appointments section of the NHS App.
To book a GP appointment, patients will need to go to the booking page and then choose the option to “ask about a health problem”. You will then be asked a series of questions about your condition before being offered either advice or a selection of appointments to choose from.
In most cases, once you have selected your appointment, it will be immediately booked, and a confirmation message will be sent to your email address.
PLEASE BE AWARE: The email address that you use to sign up with the NHS App must match the email address you have registered with the surgery.
If you have rejected the offered options or your request is more complicated (for example, requesting a same-day appointment when none are available online), your request will be sent to a surgery staff member to triage. You will then be contacted to find a solution that provides the best care for you.
More advice on booking appointments via the NHS App can be found HERE.
Patients can request to act as a proxy for children, relatives or someone they care for. This allows them to access health services on behalf of someone else.
How it works
- Patient to contact their GP surgery and ask them to register them for proxy access.
- Access the linked profile by clicking on ‘Switch profiles’ on the homepage. A yellow banner at the top will show they are acting on behalf of someone else once they switch profiles. They can return to their own profile by selecting ‘Switch back to your profile’.
Patients can use linked profiles if:
- They and the other person are both registered at the same GP surgery
- Their GP surgery has registered them for proxy access
- Their GP surgery uses EMIS (Patient Access) or TPP SystmOne (Airmid or SystmOnline)
Depending on the level of proxy access requested, you may be able to switch profiles to book an appointment, order a repeat prescription, or view some or all of their GP health record.
Carers can order medication by proxy, which reduces the time spent processing requests from Medication Administration Record charts.
To find out more about getting proxy access, please follow the link below.
You can now check your symptoms online and access 111 via the NHS App. Simply go to the home page of your app and scroll down to “check your symptoms using 111 online”.
Patients can use this digital triage service to answer questions and get instant advice or urgent medical help near them. It is available 24/7 and is for those aged 5+.
To find out more about 111 and how it can help you please visit the 111 area of our website below.
You can still contact the practice by phone or in person, this is just another option, which other patients have found is more convenient and saves them time.
Image Text: Call your GP practice on your precious lunch break or just tap the app. Order a repeat prescription, search “NHS App”