People across England can receive prescription-ready notifications on their mobile phones and smartwatches, in a move aimed at reducing pressure on pharmacy staff.
The NHS is rolling out new alerts through the NHS App, allowing patients to receive notifications as soon as their prescriptions are ready for collection at participating pharmacies.
The service, announced on 12 October, builds on the success of the app’s prescription tracking feature, which has been used nearly 2.9 million times by people since its launch last year.
Patients can receive near real-time alerts at nearly 2,500 pharmacies across England, including every Boots and ASDA pharmacy store. Around one in three pharmacies in England, representing more than 3,200 outlets, now offer prescription tracking through the app.
To receive the new notifications, users must enable push alerts in the NHS App. They can then check the app for further information about their prescription, including whether it is ready to collect or has been dispatched by a pharmacy for delivery.
NHS England said the new feature would reduce the need for patients to repeatedly check the app, telephone pharmacies or make unnecessary journeys to collect medicines before they are ready.
Rob Thompson, NHS England’s chief digital, data and technology officer, said the alerts were the latest development in efforts to give patients greater control over managing their healthcare while reducing administrative work for NHS staff.
He encouraged app users to switch on notifications to benefit from the service.
Health Innovation Minister James Frith said the alerts demonstrated how digital technology could improve people’s everyday experience of the NHS, while freeing pharmacy staff to spend more time supporting patients.
Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, welcomed the introduction of the service, saying it could save time and prevent unnecessary trips to pharmacies.
She added digital services should sit alongside non-digital ways of accessing information and support, ensuring patients can obtain the information they need in a way that works for them.
Photo: Simon Daoudi
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