The Department of Health and Social Care has announced that more than 10 million people are using the NHS app and a COVID-19 certification app has launched. The app can show vaccination status, such as what type of vaccine a user received and when it was given.
Matthew Gould, Chief Executive of NHSX, said: “We built the NHS COVID Pass in weeks, delivered it on time, and are really pleased with its progress. The prospect of putting the COVID Pass into other patient apps, we are creating a powerful platform for the NHS to do so much more for our citizens online.”
“We will see a further hike in demand for the NHS COVID Pass as businesses follow government guidance and consider using it at high-risk venues and events.”
The NHS app lets users view their GP and hospital records, order repeat prescriptions, and book GP appointments and users can also register for organ donation.
In May and June, over 1.2 million prescriptions were requested and over 100,000 GP appointments booked, with more than 90,500 users who have also signed up for the organ donation service.
Simon Bolton, Interim Chief Executive at NHS Digital, said: “The NHS App is currently the UK’s most popular app with over 2.5 million new users last month alone. Thousands of people are using the app every day to access their NHS COVID Pass and we’ve seen a big increase in the use of other features in the app, including registering organ donation preferences.”
“App users are also helping to free up time for GP surgeries by using the app to book appointments and order repeat prescriptions online.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid, said: “As we cautiously reopen, the NHS COVID Pass will enable people to prove their vaccination status when travelling abroad and support venues and businesses to reopen safely while protecting staff and the public.
“The NHS App is a fantastic example of how technology supports us in delivering health care. Not only is the app helping us start to get back to doing the things we love, it is helping us book GP appointments, view test results and medical records, and make life-saving decisions such as organ donation which bring wider benefits to the health system.”
