NHS Digital has reported that the number of patients using the NHS App has more than doubled since September.

It said yesterday (Monday January 6) that since its ‘NHS App Ambassadors’ scheme was launched at the beginning of September, the number of registered users had risen from 91,000 to over 200,000.

The scheme involves designated NHS staff such as doctors, pharmacists and paramedics recommending the app to their colleagues.

NHSX chief digital officer Tara Donnelly said: “NHS staff play an important role in telling people about the NHS App and supporting them to use it.

“A growing range of digital tools are available alongside the NHS App, using the infrastructure we developed in building the app, giving people an important choice in how they access NHS services online. Our intention is to encourage NHS staff to help people to understand the choices available.

"This will mean that some people choose to use another tool instead of, or alongside, the NHS App. This might be an app they have used previously on a longstanding basis or one that provides an additional service that better meets their particular needs.

NHS Digital director of technology for citizen health Ian Phoenix said: “It’s fantastic to see so many NHS staff choosing to sue the NHS App themselves and reporting back to us that they’re seeing benefits, whether it be from being able to quickly and simply order their repeat prescriptions, view their medical records, set their organ donation preferences or check symptoms.”