NHS credits 'app ambassadors' (including pharmacists) for huge increase in user numbers

The number of patients using the NHS App has more than doubled since the introduction of the ‘NHS App Ambassadors’ scheme, NHS Digital reveals.

The scheme was announced by Chief Nurse Ruth May in September, and 645 frontline NHS staff, including 28 Pharmacists, have since signed up to the scheme.

These 'app ambassadors' have been working in their organisations and within their professional groups to encourage colleagues to use the app.

NHS App now has more than 220,000 patients compared with 91,000 at the beginning of September.

“We are getting terrific feedback that digital tools are helping put people in better control of their healthcare, and it’s important that, as more and more patients begin using digital routes to access the NHS, our NHS staff are well informed about them to be able to give their patients confidence, and what better way for staff to do that than be a user of digital tools themselves,” said Tara Donnelly, Chief Digital Officer at NHSX.

The staff-facing campaign is the first stage of the NHS promoting the app to patients and more public-facing activities are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

The NHS App features a wide range of NHS services such as managing repeat prescriptions, booking appointments at GP surgeries, viewing medical records etc. through patient’s smartphone or tablet.

“It’s fantastic to see so many NHS staff choosing to use the NHS App themselves and reporting back to us that they’re seeing benefits, whether it be from being able to quickly and simply order their repeat prescriptions, view their medical records, set their organ donation preferences or check symptoms,” Ian Phoenix, Director of Technology for Citizen Health at NHS Digital, said.