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This October, many of our GP Practices will be hosting digital health support hubs as part of the national ‘Get online Week’ campaign, writes Dr Dave Briggs, medical director for Director, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB.

The digital health support hubs are events where specially trained digital health champions spend time with patients to learn more about the NHS App.

As we all know, mobile phones have quickly become an essential part of modern life. No longer just a way of receiving telephone calls or text messages, we can manage our bank accounts, order bus tickets or even watch TV through an app on our mobile phone.

The NHS is no different through the development of the NHS App. From ordering repeat prescriptions, managing GP appointments, accessing health records or viewing hospital letters, the NHS App is making managing personal health care easier.

Dr Dave Briggs is medical director at Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB.

Here in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, we use the NHS App as our main ‘gateway’ to access health and social care.

Over 56 per cent of our residents have downloaded the App, making Nottingham and Nottinghamshire one of the top 20 per cent regions within England.

97 per cent of our GP practices can receive online enquiries from patients, processing more than 600,000 online repeat prescription requests since January 2024.

Using the NHS App can give our patients more choice in ways to contact surgeries. It can free up time and resources for patients who feel more comfortable using the telephone or visiting their surgery in person.

"From ordering repeat prescriptions, managing GP appointments, accessing health records or viewing hospital letters, the NHS App is making managing personal health care easier", says our guest columnist Dr Dave Briggs.

For the practice, it can enable quicker triaging of enquiries and free up time for GPs as well as practice teams.

However, it’s important that the benefits of the internet and digital technologies are available to everyone, particularly when accessing health and care services in our communities.

We want to ensure that no-one is left at a disadvantage, particularly when it comes to managing our health needs.

This is where the Digital Support Hubs, Digital Health Champions and our specially trained Digital Inclusion Coordinators make a difference. Working across nearly half of our local GP Practices, our Digital Inclusion Coordinators provide support, advice, and guidance on the NHS App.

As well as helping residents to download the NHS App and learn more about its functions, the Digital Inclusion Coordinators help residents feel more confident in using technology in general.

Your GP Practice will let know if they are hosting a digital health support hub this October, or you can visit our website to learn more about the NHS App in Nottingham via www.digitalnotts.nhs.uk/nhs-app

Column: Using the NHS App can give patients across county more choice