Using the NHS App: who can use it and what it does

Written and reviewed by the UK Hospitals editorial team
Last reviewed: 22 October 2026 · Next review due: 22 April 2027

This guide brings together information from the NHS and other official sources, listed at the end of the page. It is not medical advice.

The NHS App lets you order repeat prescriptions, book GP appointments if your surgery allows it, see test results and manage hospital referrals. To use it, you must be 13 or over and registered with a GP surgery in England. You can also use the same services by logging in on the NHS website, without downloading anything.

Who can use the NHS App

You need to be:

  • aged 13 or over
  • registered with an NHS GP surgery in England or the Isle of Man

If you are 13 to 15, you need to ask your GP surgery for access to its online services before you can use the app. If you are registered with Defence Medical Services, you cannot use it.

If you are not registered with a GP yet, see how to register with a GP surgery.

Logging in and getting full access

You use an NHS login to get into the app or the NHS website. You can log in with your email address, password and a security code sent to your phone. You can also use a passkey, or face or fingerprint login on a phone or tablet.

To get full access, you need to prove who you are. You can do this with photo ID, or with the registration details for your GP surgery’s online services. Without full access, you can only use NHS 111 online, the NHS website and the search for NHS services near you.

On a computer you cannot use face or fingerprint login or add appointments to your calendar, but the other services work the same.

What you can do with full access

  • order repeat prescriptions and choose a pharmacy to send them to
  • book and cancel GP appointments, or contact your surgery about a health problem, if your surgery offers this
  • see test results for tests ordered by your GP surgery
  • book, change or cancel your first hospital appointment after a referral through the NHS e-Referral Service (you must be 16 or over to manage appointments)
  • see whether you are on a hospital waiting list, and sometimes how long you may wait
  • check your symptoms with NHS 111 online
  • read messages and documents, such as letters from your GP surgery

You cannot book urgent GP appointments in the app. Call your surgery for an urgent or same-day appointment. For urgent medical advice, use NHS 111.

Ordering repeat prescriptions

  1. RequestRequest your medicine in the app. Your GP has to approve each request.
  2. Sent to a pharmacyOnce approved, it goes to the pharmacy you have chosen. If you have not chosen one, you can take the barcode in the app to any pharmacy.
  3. CollectIt can take 3 to 5 working days for your pharmacy to prepare your medicine. Take photo ID when you collect it, as some pharmacies may ask for it.

If you need your medicine urgently, contact your GP surgery. When it is closed, use NHS 111 online or call 111.

Find a pharmacy open near you

Why some features may be missing

  • Your GP surgery can switch off some services, such as online booking, or hide sensitive information.
  • What you can see depends on your GP surgery and the computer system it uses.
  • If you have recently changed surgery, information from your old surgery may not appear.
  • Some hospitals do not share referrals, appointments or documents with the app. If a hospital has given you an appointment that is not in the app, still go to it.
  • Not all test results are in the app, for example private tests, maternity tests and some tests ordered by a hospital.

Managing care for someone else

With family and carer access (sometimes called proxy access), you may be able to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions or see test results for a child or someone you care for. You both need to be registered at the same GP surgery. The surgery sets this up, and you will need to show ID.

Parents may get access to a child’s online services between the ages of 11 and 16 if the GP surgery agrees. This access ends when the child turns 16.

Getting help with the app

If you have a technical problem, you can contact the NHS App support team through the NHS website. They aim to reply within 48 hours. They cannot give medical advice. For problems with your NHS login, use the NHS login help centre.

UK Hospitals is not part of the NHS and cannot help with your NHS App account. Read more about using the NHS App on the NHS website.

Sources

We checked this guide against these official pages on 22 October 2026.

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