Ahead of the Easter bank holiday weekend, people across the North East and Yorkshire are being encouraged to download the latest version of the NHS App, which has recently been refreshed to make it simpler and easier to access NHS services.

More than 4 million people have already downloaded the NHS App in our region, since its launch, with almost 30,000 people choosing to download it last month.

February saw more than 4.7 million NHS App logins within the North East and Yorkshire region – the highest number for more than two years. Almost 50,000 appointments were managed by people in our region via the app during the same period.

People can use the NHS App to

• order repeat prescriptions.
• access NHS 111 online.
• view their GP record.
• manage their organ donation decision.
• view messages.
• manage appointments, and much more.

New and innovative features continue to be rolled out to help patients access convenient and high-quality care when and where they need it.

Dr Abbie Brooks, GP Partner at Priory Medical Group in York, encourages her patients to use the NHS App.

She said: “The NHS App continues to be a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services used by millions of patients. The app makes it easy for patients to carry out activities independently, giving them greater control of their healthcare.

“Many people will need to order their repeat prescriptions ahead of the Easter bank holiday weekend and the NHS App is the easiest and most convenient way to do this.

“As Easter approaches, and following a recent refreshment of the NHS App, there’s never been a better time to download it.”

Abbie, whose 75-year-old mum uses the NHS App, added: “My mum is a big fan of the app. She uses it to order her repeat prescriptions without having to leave the house or make a call.”

The app is available for anybody over the age of 13 who is registered with a GP surgery in England.

Dr Colin Speers, Medical Director for Integrated Community Care for Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership, has a key role in digital transformation to improve health and care services for the people of Wakefield.

He said: “The NHS App is transforming the way people manage their healthcare. Whether it’s to view a GP health record, order and track a repeat prescription, or nominate a preferred pharmacy – the NHS App hosts a range of features that enable patients to access key services from the comfort of their homes.

“As well as being more convenient for patients, ordering prescriptions through the NHS App also saves time for GPs too, freeing up frontline staff to do other important duties.

“I’d encourage anyone who hasn’t already downloaded the NHS App to give it a go and see how easy it is to manage their healthcare from the palm of their hand.”

You can download the NHS App for free on the app store or on google play.