How to use the NHS App to manage your health

This guide is for anyone who wants to book GP appointments, order repeat prescriptions or check test results without sitting on hold or waiting for a letter. It walks through everything from downloading the app to reading your medical record - no prior experience needed.

The NHS App is free, official and available on iPhone, iPad and Android. Millions of people use it already, but many - particularly those new to smartphones - find the setup confusing. The identity verification step in particular catches people out. Get past that, and the rest is straightforward.

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Step 1: Download the NHS App

The app is free from the Apple App Store (iPhone and iPad) or Google Play (Android phones and tablets). Search for NHS App and look for the blue square with a white heartbeat line. The developer should read "NHS England" - that's how you know it's official, not one of the many imitators.

If you're not sure how to find the App Store or Google Play on your device, look for the colourful icon that looks like a small shopping bag (Apple) or a multicoloured triangle (Android). Both are usually on your home screen.

Once downloaded, tap to open it.

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Step 2: Create or sign in with an NHS login

When you open the app for the first time, it asks you to sign in using an NHS login. If you've never heard of this, don't worry - it's simply a free account that identifies you.

Tap Continue to NHS login, then Create an NHS login. You'll need:

• An email address you can access
• A mobile phone number (for a security code)

Enter your email, check your inbox for a verification code, and enter it in the app. Then set a password. The password rules are standard: at least eight characters, a mix of letters and numbers.

If you already have an NHS login from a previous service (some GP surgery websites use it), you can sign straight in with the same details.

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Step 3: Verify your identity

This is the step that most people find frustrating, so it helps to know what's coming.

To access your full record - not just general health information, but your personal GP notes and test results - the NHS needs to confirm you are who you say you are. You'll be asked to verify your identity using one of two methods:

Option A: Photo ID check (faster) The app asks you to photograph a piece of ID (UK passport, driving licence or some EU national identity cards) and take a short selfie video. It matches your face to the photo. The whole thing takes about five minutes, and in my experience the passport option tends to work more reliably than a driving licence.

Option B: Online banking If you have online banking with one of the major UK banks, you can verify through that instead. The app shows a list of participating banks - Lloyds, Barclays, HSBC and others are included.

Once verified, your NHS login is permanently linked to your NHS number and you won't need to do this again.

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Step 4: Connect to your GP surgery

Verifying your identity proves who you are, but your GP surgery still needs to grant you access to your record. This is a separate step, and it can take a day or two.

In the app, go to Your account, then Linked services, and search for your surgery by name or postcode. Once you find it, tap to request access.

Your surgery will receive the request and approve it (usually automatically, occasionally manually). You'll get an email when it's done.

Some older surgeries haven't fully enabled all features. If certain sections appear greyed out - appointments, say, or prescriptions - it's worth ringing the surgery to ask them to enable full online access for your account. Most will do this without any fuss.

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Step 5: Book a GP appointment

Once you're connected to your surgery, tap Appointments in the bottom menu. You'll see available slots - if your surgery has enabled online booking - sorted by date.

Choose a slot, select whether it's for you or someone you're registered for, and confirm. You'll receive a confirmation by email or text, and the appointment appears in the app so you can cancel if plans change.

One practical note: not every surgery releases all their appointments online. Some keep a portion back for same-day telephone bookings. If you can't find anything suitable, calling the surgery is still a perfectly reasonable option. The app doesn't replace that.

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Step 6: Order a repeat prescription

If your GP has set up repeat prescriptions for you, this is one of the genuinely useful time-savers the app offers.

Tap Medicines, then Repeat prescriptions. You'll see a list of the medications your surgery has marked as repeatable. Tick the items you need, select your nominated pharmacy (or add one if you haven't before), and submit the request.

The prescription goes directly to the pharmacy electronically. Most pharmacies will have your items ready within two working days, though this varies. You don't need to do anything else - no paper, no form, no phone call.

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Step 7: View your test results and health record

Tap Health record in the bottom menu. Depending on what your surgery has enabled, you may be able to see:

• Blood test results (with the reference ranges your GP uses)
• GP consultation notes
• Your vaccination history (including Covid and flu)
• Allergies and adverse reactions
• Prescribed medication history

Blood test results in particular can look alarming if you're not used to reading them. A result flagged in red doesn't always mean something is wrong - it may simply sit just outside the standard reference range, which many people do without it being clinically significant. If a result worries you, speak to your GP rather than drawing conclusions from the numbers alone.

The app also shows your NHS vaccination record and, for most people, any Covid vaccination details that were recorded centrally.

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A few things worth knowing

The app works on iPads and Android tablets as well as phones - the interface is a little more spacious on a larger screen, which some people find easier.

If you're helping a parent or older relative set this up, you can sit beside them and walk through these steps together, but the identity verification must be done on their device with their details. You can't verify identity on their behalf from your own phone.

For anyone who'd prefer a guided session in person, many GP surgeries now offer digital drop-in sessions, and Age UK branches often run free tech help sessions. It's worth asking.

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