NHS App to Become Digital Front Door in UK 10 Year Health Plan

The NHS App is set to become the main way patients access health services under the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The plan, published on Thursday, outlines how patients will be able to book appointments, manage prescriptions and view medical records from their phones. The government says the reforms will make care easier to access while reducing pressure on staff.

“For far too long, the NHS has been stuck in the past, reliant on letters and long phone queues,” Mr Starmer said. “Our 10 Year Health Plan will bring it into the digital age by opening up fairer and more convenient access to healthcare.”

Single patient record

A central part of the reforms is a new single patient record. From 2028, medical information will be brought together in one secure file, accessible through the app. Patients will no longer have to repeat their history to different clinicians.
The system will be designated as critical national infrastructure, with strict security controls. Patients will be able to see who has accessed their records and decide who else can view them.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “The NHS App will become a doctor in your pocket. Our reforms will bring instant advice, remote consultations and better management of appointments to every patient, not just those who can afford private healthcare.”

Expanded features

Patients will be able to self-refer to services such as mental health therapies, physiotherapy and podiatry, bypassing the need to go through a GP. The government says this will shorten waiting times and free up doctors for those who need direct care.
Artificial intelligence will also play a role. A new “My NHS GP” tool will provide advice and help direct patients to the most appropriate service, whether that is self-care, a pharmacist or emergency care.

Parents will gain access to a digital version of the red book, which tracks children’s health. It will provide guidance on issues such as weaning and sleep, and over time will use AI to support parents when children are unwell.

Wearables such as fitness trackers will be able to feed data into the app, including blood pressure, heart rate and glucose levels. The aim is to provide personalised advice and detect health problems earlier.

Other planned features include prescription reminders, vaccine booking, the option to leave questions for specialists, and tools for carers to communicate with care teams.

£200 million could be saved over 3 years

The Department of Health and Social Care estimates that digital appointment booking alone could save £200 million over three years. Hospitals have already reduced paper letters, with nearly 12 million fewer sent since 2024.

Two-thirds of outpatient appointments could eventually be replaced with digital alternatives such as patient-initiated follow-ups or specialist advice online. Outpatient care currently costs around £14 billion a year.

Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, said: “The NHS App will be at the heart of the tech transformation we are planning. Millions already have it on their phones and the improvements we are introducing will make it the digital front door to the NHS.”

Mixed reaction

The announcement has drawn support from charities, industry and patient groups, but several warned about the risk of excluding those without digital access.

Caroline Abrahams of Age UK said: “The potential of the NHS App is clear, but we must ensure no one is left behind. Millions of older people are not online and will continue to need traditional ways of contacting the NHS.”

Rachel Power of the Patients Association added: “Nearly one in four patients still face barriers to digital access. If the NHS App is to become the digital front door, there must always be a real-world front door as well.”

Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner, welcomed the digital red book, saying it would help protect vulnerable children. Tech industry leaders described the plans as an important step, but stressed that delivery must be secure and inclusive.

Wider reform

The NHS plan also includes the use of AI scribes to take notes during consultations, generative AI to draft care plans, and a single sign-on for NHS staff.

Mr Starmer said the reforms would deliver three key shifts: moving care from hospitals into communities, moving from analogue to digital, and focusing more on prevention.

“Our Plan for Change promised to make the NHS fit for the future,” he said. “We are fixing the foundations of our health service and making sure it will be there to look after us for decades to come.”