Appointment reminders, invites to well being screenings and check outcomes will now be obtained by sufferers on their telephones.
The federal government says transferring to a extra digital-focused NHS will imply 50 million fewer letters have to be despatched out by the well being service, saving an estimated £200m over the following three years.
As an alternative, below the brand new plans, tens of millions of individuals will probably be notified about appointments and different essential notices by way of the NHS app on their cellphone or digital machine.
The app is ready to turn out to be the go-to technique for the NHS to speak with folks, the Division of Well being and Social Care stated.
The modifications will probably be backed by greater than £50m funding. It can see a predicted 270 million messages despatched by way of the app this yr, a rise of round 70 million on the final monetary yr, the federal government introduced.
Wes Streeting has stated that is all about modernising, because the NHS “feels so twentieth century”.
The well being secretary has stated he will probably be reserving his appointments by way of the app, which is able to unlock cellphone traces for these with out smartphones. Pic: PA
The well being secretary stated: “The truth that folks nonetheless get letters by way of the entrance door, typically a number of letters about the identical appointment… The NHS has been caught within the mud relating to the on a regular basis expertise we use to organise our lives. And that is why what we’re doing with the NHS app is admittedly thrilling.”
Mr Streeting stated the app will make utilizing the NHS extra handy, and provides sufferers extra management, whereas saving cash. He stated these funds can then be invested again into the well being service, to bolster issues similar to frontline care.
Utilizing the NHS app ought to be ‘as joyful as Netflix’
The modernisation of the NHS may also result in fewer missed appointments, and subsequently lower your expenses that means too, it’s hoped.
In 2023/24, there have been round eight million missed appointments in elective care and virtually one in three folks missed a screening appointment.
Presently, round 20 million folks have opted in to obtain messages from the NHS app.
Investigating Starmer’s NHS claims
Pushed on how the federal government will be sure that no one is left behind, Mr Streeting stated: “If somebody like me is reserving my appointment by way of the app as a result of that is what I desire to do, [then] that is releasing up a cellphone line for somebody who needs to get by way of and speak to an individual.”
He added that better use of the app will give folks extra selection in “the way you need to organise your care”.
The NHS will depart the ‘analogue age’ behind, Wes Streeting has stated.
The cupboard minister additionally made a daring comparability, saying he needs that the NHS app is as pleasurable as utilizing streaming large Netflix.
He stated: “The NHS app really has extra subscribers than Netflix. It will be a extremely great factor if utilizing the NHS app felt – if not as joyful – virtually as joyful as utilizing Netflix.”
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Different options within the pipeline – although not but accessible – embody having the ability to add appointments to cellphone calendars and request assist from native GPs on the app.
