Is the NHS App working for everyone?

Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire surveyed 410 people between October 2025 and March 2026 to understand how local residents use the NHS App and whether it is meeting their needs. Awareness of the app was very high, with 95% of respondents having heard of it and nearly 80% using it. People particularly valued using it to order repeat prescriptions, view GP records and access test results. However, respondents felt the app has not yet delivered its full potential and often does not provide the services people expect. 

A major theme was digital exclusion. Older people, disabled people, those with sensory impairments, unpaid carers and people lacking digital confidence reported difficulties using the app. Many respondents were concerned that a digital-first NHS could leave vulnerable groups behind if telephone and face-to-face alternatives are reduced. There was also frustration about having to use multiple different apps for GPs, hospitals and other NHS services rather than one joined-up system. 

Many respondents reported practical difficulties such as complicated registration processes, repeated login requirements, poor accessibility features and the limited availability of appointment booking through the app. People were also concerned that hospital information, referrals, appointments and test results were not consistently visible. Some patients reported receiving results through the app without clear explanations or follow-up contact from healthcare professionals. 

Healthwatch concluded that the NHS App is valued by many users but risks widening health inequalities if digital exclusion is not addressed. Recommendations included improving accessibility and support for users, reducing fragmentation between different NHS apps, improving access for carers, ensuring patients can choose how they receive test results, maintaining non-digital routes into services and preserving independent, non-digital options for providing feedback about NHS care.