The NHS App is helping to reduce travel to GP practices, with an average of 22,000 car journeys saved every month.
New analysis by NHS Digital found that around 200,000 appointments and repeat prescriptions arranged through the NHS App between last April and December would previously have been made by people driving to their local surgery. The research also estimates that around 4,100 fewer bus and taxi journeys, and 5,500 fewer train and motorbike journeys are being made every month, with patients using the app instead.
In total, over 206,000 car, bus, and taxi trips to GP practices are estimated to have been saved between April and December 2021.
Patient journeys to GP practices account for around 17% of the NHS’s carbon footprint, and the journey savings are estimated to have led to a C02 reduction of 78 tonnes. NHS Digital says over 26 million people are now signed up with the NHS App. It added: “In the last four months, over 5.9 million repeat prescriptions were ordered, and over 463,000 GP appointments booked, via the NHS App, saving valuable time for patients and clinicians.”
A total of 55 apps and e-health services are now available through NHS login, the service that supports the NHS App, including e-Referral services, COVID-19 support and advice, maternity and child health services, online pharmacies, and services to monitor and improve health and wellbeing.
