What can I do with the NHS App?
Short answer
Order repeat prescriptions and nominate a pharmacy, book or cancel GP appointments, view your GP record including test results and immunisations, manage hospital referrals, and register an organ donation decision. Everything it does is also available by phone or in person.
The NHS App is the official digital front door to NHS services in England, with over 30 million registered users. The same features are available through the NHS website on a desktop browser, so a smartphone is not essential.
What it covers
- Prescriptions — nominate a pharmacy, order repeats, and track when they are ready, without ringing the surgery.
- Appointments — book, cancel or rearrange GP appointments where your practice has enabled it, and see hospital outpatient appointments booked through the e-Referral Service.
- Your GP record — allergies, current and past medication, immunisations, test results, consultation notes and letters where the practice shares them, and your NHS number.
- Organ donation — register or change your decision.
- NHS 111 online for symptom checking and urgent care signposting.
Registering, and the usual snags
Create an NHS login with your email, set up two-step verification, then verify your identity — either online with a photo of a passport, driving licence or European ID card plus a selfie, or in person at your GP practice if you have no suitable document. Verification is one-off and covers every NHS service using NHS login.
Three problems account for most complaints. Identity checks fail on blurry photographs, expired documents or poor lighting — retry, or ask the practice to verify you instead. Records are missing even after verification, which almost always means the practice has not switched on online access to your detailed coded record; ask them to enable it. And appointments do not appear because the practice uses a different booking platform, such as Patient Access or Accurx.
Nothing about the app is compulsory. Under the NHS Constitution you cannot be refused a service for not using it: appointments and prescriptions can be arranged by phone or in person, receptionists are trained to support patients who do not use digital services, and NHS 111 is available around the clock. If you cannot manage your own access because of age, disability or cognitive impairment, ask the practice to set up proxy access for a relative or carer. Libraries and Age UK digital inclusion services offer free help learning it.
Related guides
Using the NHS App
The NHS App is the official digital front door to NHS services in England, with over 30 million registered users. It lets you manage your NHS care from your phone or tablet — including ordering prescriptions, booking GP appointments, viewing your health records, managing referrals, and receiving notifications from your GP practice. This guide explains what the app does, how to register, how to get your identity verified, and what alternatives exist if you cannot use a smartphone.
6 min
Accessing Your Patient Records
Under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to access the personal health information that the NHS holds about you. This includes GP records, hospital letters, test results, and medication history.
6 min
How to Register with a GP
Everyone in the UK is entitled to register with an NHS GP free of charge. Finding and registering with the right practice is the gateway to almost all NHS healthcare — from prescriptions and referrals to mental health support.
6 min
NHS Prescription Costs and Exemptions
NHS prescriptions in England cost £9.90 per item in 2026/27, but millions of people are entitled to free prescriptions based on age, income, or medical condition. A Prescription Prepayment Certificate can cap your costs if you pay for multiple items regularly.
6 min
More health questions
Disclaimer