About the NHS App

The NHS App gives you more control over your health and care. Use it wherever you are, at any time of the day or night.

It puts information about your health and treatments at your fingertips. This means you can see it when speaking to a health and care professional, for example.

You can use the NHS App to:

book and cancel appointments;
access your medical record securely;
order repeat prescriptions;
find trusted NHS information on hundreds of conditions
and treatments and get instant advice;
register your organ donation decision;
find out how the NHS uses your data.

Setting up the NHS App

Step 1 - Download the App

Go to the App Store or Play Store, search for “NHS App” and download it to your phone.

From here you can access general health information and advice, but to make the App even more useful it will need to know who you are by linking it to your NHS personal health record.

Step 2 - Create an NHS login account

– Enter your email address. This checks the system to see if you already have an NHS login. If you have, and you know your password, you can log in from there.

If not, choose ‘Continue with NHS login’ to create an account that matches you and your NHS records.

To create an account, you’ll need to know your:

email address
date of birth
post code

Continue to create a password.

Your password needs to be at least 8 characters and contain at least one capital letter. If you are setting the account up with someone else, you can do this privately or go back in to change it after you’ve created your account.

After this, you need to agree to the NHS privacy notice and terms of use. Note that the NHS will not share your personal information without your permission.

Once this is done, choose ‘Continue’

Step 3 - 6 digit security code

You will have been sent an email containing a 6 digit security code.

If it’s not there, please check your junk or spam email folder as it might have been sent there by mistake.

– Enter the 6 numbers in the app.

Your email is now verified and next you’ll need to do this for your mobile phone number. Enter your mobile phone number. You’ll then receive a text containing another 6 digit security number.

– Now enter the 6 numbers from the text and choose ‘Continue’

Step 4 - Your NHS Number

Here is when you will be asked to enter your NHS number.

– If you know your NHS Number choose ‘yes’ and enter it in the app.

For the best chance of quickly matching you to your NHS records it would be helpful to have you have your NHS number; this is the 10 digit number you’ll have on a letter from the NHS, a prescription or vaccination letter.

– If you do not know your NHS number choose ‘no’ and continue.

Here you’ll be asked for your full name that you have registered with your GP surgery. Complete this including any middle names you have.

– Continue to enter your date of birth and the post code that your GP will have on record for you.

Check that details are correct making any changes necessary. When you’re happy click “Submit information.

Step 5 - The app should be ready for you to use!

You may be asked to accept terms and conditions, cookies and enter your notification preferences.

Simply follow the instructions and then choose the ‘Continue’ button.

How to use the NHS App

This guide is for people who have already downloaded and registered with the NHS App.

To use the NHS App and gain access to its functions, you will need to:

Open the NHS App.
Choose ‘Continue with NHS login’.
Gain access by typing in your email address and the password you chose when you set up your account.

Please note: If you have any trouble logging in, and it’s safe to do, you might find it easier to choose “show” on the password box to check you have typed it correctly. If you are still having issues choose “Forgotten password?” And the App will help you from there.

To gain access to certain functions of the app, you may need to provide proof of your identity.

You will be asked to:

take a photo of your ID;
record your face using your device;
enter your NHS number if you know it.

You may also be given a 4 digit number and asked to submit a video recording of yourself saying those numbers. You can also use British Sign Language or write down the numbers and show them instead.

You can access the NHS App functions that your GP has enabled, such as booking appointments at your GP surgery, ordering repeat prescriptions and viewing your GP health record. You can access most of the features from the main page.

Appointments

To book or view appointments at your GP surgery, Hospital or other appointments, choose the ‘Appointments’ button along the bottom of the screen.

Some general practices do not offer appointment booking through the app. If this is the case, you will need to contact your practice directly to book an appointment.

If your GP offers appointment booking through the app, you can see a list of any upcoming or past appointments with your
GP surgery. You can also book a new one by selecting the green ‘Book an Appointment’ button.

You can select the type of appointment you request and the location of your general practice.

Please note: due to COVID-19 restrictions and challenges it might be that your general practice is only offering telephone appointments initially.

If you have a preference on the practice member you want to see, you have the option of selecting one here, however for the earliest possible appointment you should leave this as “no preference”. From here, you can filter by available appointments and choose one that best suits you.

– To confirm your GP appointment check that the date, time, location work and the gender of the health professional you are booked in to see works for you.

– You are also asked to give a very short reason for your appointment. This is limited to 150 characters, which is about 25 words, so just a brief note will do.

– After this click the green button to confirm and book your appointment.

Your appointment will now be listed as upcoming on the ‘Your GP appointments’ section on the NHS App.

Your Health Record

To view your GP health record, you will need to select this option from the list on the main page, and you may need to give the NHS App permission to view your health records.

It will then display your full name, date of birth, NHS Number, address and a list of your allergies and adverse reactions along with any short-term and repeat medicines you have been prescribed, including ones you no longer need to take.

To go back to the main page of the app, choose the ‘Back’ link or the Home button at the top left of the screen.

Prescriptions

To view and order prescriptions, firstly click the ‘Prescriptions’ icon along the bottom of the screen.

Here you can view your orders and request a repeat prescription that can be signed off by your GP.

Using the app for repeat prescriptions saves a lot of time compared to calling or visiting your general practice.

For non-repeat prescriptions you can book an appointment, or if you have an emergency, follow the weblink to 111.nhs.uk and you will be guided through the website from there.