NHS App guidance

What GP practices need to know about the NHS App.

Features of the NHS App

Find out what patients can do in the NHS App, and how the features available to them are affected by settings in the clinical system your practice uses.

NHS COVID Pass

From 17 May 2021, patients can prove their COVID-19 vaccination status for international travel.

COVID-19 status guidance

Referrals using the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS)

Patients can manage their first hospital or clinic appointment with a specialist, using the NHS App.

Referrals guidance

Online consultations

Find out how the NHS App can help you triage patients effectively, and get suggested text to promote this to patients.

Online consultations guidance

Secure messaging

Patients can send non-urgent messages to your practice securely, and you can reply.

Secure messaging guidance

Prescriptions

Patients can order prescriptions and nominate a pharmacy.

Precriptions guidance

Appointments

Patients can book appointments through the NHS App. Find out how to make changes in your clinical system to give them the best possible experience of booking through the app.

Appointment guidance

Proxy access

Proxy access lets patients access medical services for a child, or someone else they care for.

Proxy access guidance

Patient record access

From April 2022, patients with an online account will see their medical record.

Information about the change

Release notes

Find out about the latest updates, bug fixes and new features for the NHS App.

NHS App release notes

Test patients

See the NHS App the way your patients see it, using a test patient.

Set up a test patient

Find out how to set up a test patient for your practice.

Set up a test patient

Promote the NHS App to your patients

We've developed a range of materials to help you spread the word to your patients.

Promote the NHS App

Get posters, leaflets, website banners and more.

Promotion materials

Promote e-consultations to your patients

Suggested text to tell your patients if your practice uses e-consultations.

e-consultation promotion materials

Help for patients

Help patients get on board with the NHS App, and get more support if they need it.

Verify a patient's identity

Some patients cannot do this themselves through the NHS App.

Identify verification guidance

Help for patients

Patients can get answers to common questions and contact the NHS App team direct for support.

Patient support

Training and guidance

Training and support materials

Join a training course

NHSX, NHS Digital and the Practice Managers Association have developed a free interactive course to help practice staff learn about the NHS App.

Go to the course

Safeguarding and managing inappropriate use

Guidance on how to restrict access when you need to.

Safeguarding guidance

Monitoring use and improving digital access

Check how your patients use the NHS App and encourage digital access.

NHS App dashboard

Use the NHS App dashboard to see how many patients at your practice are using the NHS App, and which features they are using.

Dashboard guidance

Digital inclusion

Digital tools can empower patients to take control of their own health and care. We know lots of people face barriers to using apps and other technology, and that in some places GP practices are doing great work to help patients get on line and use new digital services.

View our guide to digital inclusion

Clinical safety

Any clinical safety incident must be reported.

Report a clinical safety incident

The NHS App has been designed, built, tested and clinically reviewed with patient safety at its heart.

Clinical safety guidance and reporting

Last edited: 25 November 2021 4:11 pm