IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS CURRENTLY USING THE NHS APP?

The NHS are encouraging all practices to increase the use of the NHS App .

The Weardale Practice currently two options to send texts to patients and I’ll try to explain this without over-complicating it!

Option 1 – If we send a message from the clinical system ie appointment reminders and confirmations – you will receive the message as a text.

Option 2 – If we send a message from the second option – the message will attempt to be delivered to the NHS app first. If this fails, then the message will be delivered as a text.

NHS App Users

54% of our patients have downloaded the NHS App. Of the NHS App Users, 21% of patients have turned the notifications off in the app.

What does this mean?

Option 1 is currently our preferred option as text messages from the clinical system do not go via the NHS App.

If you have turned the notifications off if the NHS app, then you may be missing important text messages.

Hopefully by the end of 2025, messages from the clinical system will be sent to the NHS App first with no cost. If the message is delivered by text, then a cost is incurred by the NHS.

TURNING ON NOTIFICATIONS

What you need to do – NHS App…

Open the NHS App and click on your profile at the top right-hand corner of the screen.

Scroll to Settings and click on Notifications. You will then be prompted to Manage notifications. Make sure this is ON.

What you need to do – check your phone settings…

For android users – go to Settings – scroll to Apps – scroll to NHS App – click on App notifications and Allow notifications

Instructions for iPhone users to follow.

There will be promotional literature available in the next few weeks so please keep an eye out for further information on the NHS App.