Local people continue to take advantage of the NHS app’s convenience by ordering at least one repeat prescription every single minute on average since the start of this year.
Latest figures reveal that more than 369,500 prescriptions were requested on the NHS app between 1 January and 30 June 2024 – that equates to around 85 on average every hour.
The number of repeat prescriptions ordered through the app by south west Londoners has grown by 92% since April 2023 while views of records have increased by 210% in that time.
Nationally, there are more than 33.6 million NHS app users – the health service recently pointed out that is “twice as many users as Netflix’s 16.7 million subscribers”.
Whether you’re sat at home or out and about, the NHS app is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services and information.
South west London’s chief medical officer Dr John Byrne
As well as requesting repeat prescriptions, people can use the updated, user-friendly version of the NHS app to:
- choose their usual pharmacy or collect from any pharmacy in England
- check if they need urgent medical help using 111 online
- view GP-held medical records, including medication, test results and immunisations
- register for organ donation and change their preferences
- access NHS services on behalf of somebody else (for example, their children or other family members)
- find NHS services near them, such as dentists, pharmacies or mental health services
- view messages from for example their GP or about hospital appointments
- to view information from their local hospital including appointment information, correspondence, medical records and waiting times.
NHS England recently calculated that each repeat prescription ordered electronically saves GP practices three minutes of time. Patients also save an average of 18 minutes with each online order, making it more convenient for them and freeing up frontline staff to do other important duties.
While there are now 900,000 registered NHS app users in the south west London boroughs of Merton, Wandsworth, Kingston, Richmond, Sutton and Croydon, more people are being encouraged to access its benefits.
South west London’s chief medical officer Dr John Byrne said: “Whether you’re sat at home or out and about, the NHS app is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services and information.
“So I’m delighted that so many south west Londoners are already using it for their repeat prescriptions – more than one order every minute since the start of this year is fantastic as it saves time for both patients and GPs.
“But it would be great if even more south west Londoners enjoyed its benefits to continue the trend of rising logins – they have increased by nearly 90% since April 2023.
“I’d encourage anyone who hasn’t used the NHS app for a while, or who has never downloaded it, to tap it and see what it has to offer – whether that is viewing a GP health record, finding a service near them or arranging a repeat prescription.”
To download the NHS app, visit your device’s app store and follow the easy step-by-step registration instructions.
It will help if you know your NHS number (although this is not essential), and you will need to have a form of ID (passport or driving licence) to hand.
The app is available for anybody over the age of 13 who is registered with a GP surgery in England. Find out more on the NHS website.