The NHS App will soon have new features that allow people to receive more personalized care in England.
It’s part of the government’s digital revolution plan to improve care and access, while also saving time and money.
More users will be able see their medical records, manage their hospital elective-care appointments and receive messages from their doctors by March 2023.
The app should also offer face-toface video consultations by March 2024.
Those who have already downloaded the app may be able to access certain services.
The government hopes that at least 75% will have it by March 2024.
It is currently only half of the population – around 28 million – has it on their smartphone or tablet.
The government wants 90% of NHS trusts have electronic patient records or are processing them by December 2023. All social-care providers should also adopt a digital social care record.
Patients across the country will be able to do their pre-assessment checks at home for hospitals by September 2024.
Users of the NHS App will be able:
Sajid Javid, Health and Social Care Secretary, said that a radical program of modernization is underway to ensure the NHS can meet the needs of 2048, not 1948 when it was established.
Sarah Sweeney, National Voices’ health and social care charity, stated: “We are excited about the ambition to use technology in order to enable joined-up, personalised care.
“We have yet to fully harness the power of digital tools to achieve person-centred and inclusive care for people. There is much more to learn.
“We look forward working with health care leaders, charities, and people with ill and disabled to explore how digital tools could be used to make people’s health and care more important.”
