As part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change, the expansion of the NHS App has significantly reduced hospital waiting times and prevented 1.5 million missed appointments.
The upgraded NHS App has saved 5.7 million staff hours since July last year, including 1.26 million clinical hours, and savings equivalent to £622m.
It allows users to manage appointments, view prescriptions, access GP health records, and receive notifications, reducing the burden on healthcare services.
The app surpassed the government’s goal of 85%, with 87% of hospitals now allowing patients to view appointment information via the app.
The government’s Elective Reform Plan outlines measures to expand app use, offering patients a wider choice of providers and quicker appointment bookings.
NHS national clinical transformation director Vin Diwakar said: “The NHS App is leading the way in switching from analogue to digital services, empowering over 37 million users with faster access to information and slashing waiting times.
“With services now live in 87% of hospitals, it is also boosting NHS productivity, cutting the number of missed appointments and freeing up almost 5.7 million staff hours since July alone.”
The NHS App has also reduced the need for paper correspondence, saving £5.2m in postage costs.
To support elderly and vulnerable patients, the NHS is providing assistance in accessing online health services, including the NHS App, at 1,400 libraries across England.
Planned upgrades to the app will allow patients to choose from a range of providers, book tests at convenient locations, and receive test results quickly.
The app’s success is part of a broader government effort to digitise NHS services and reduce waiting lists.
With three million additional appointments delivered six months ahead of schedule, waiting lists have decreased for six consecutive months, dropping by 219,000 since July.
In addition, 4.5 million tests, checks, and scans were conducted in Community Diagnostic Centres between July and February, marking a 50% increase from the previous year.
The UK government is also investing up to £600m, alongside the Wellcome Trust, providing secure access to national-scale data sets, enhancing the UK’s life sciences sector.
UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “This government is determined to get our NHS fixed and fit for the future – and this is just one of the innovative ways through the Plan for Change that we’re helping patients, cutting waiting lists and saving taxpayers money all at the same time.
“By putting the latest technology into the hands of patients so they can access services quicker, we’re freeing up more time for doctors and nurses to focus on treating people and getting waiting lists down.
“This government is doing things differently. Every missed appointment and wasted staff hour saved means another patient getting the care they need as we drive a digital NHS revolution through our Plan for Change.”
