GP patients in east and west Suffolk now have the ability to book and manage appointments and order repeat prescriptions through an app on their smart phone.
All GP practices in the area have now been fully linked with the NHS App - which provides access to a range of services.
Patients can download the app from Apple or Android stores and follow simple on-screen instructions to set it up and link it to their GP practice.
Unlike previous online GP services, most patients will not need to visit their practice to set up a login for the NHS App, but can prove their identity in the app and create their NHS login.
Dr Mark Shenton, a GP in Stowmarket and chairman of NHS Ipswich and East Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "It is pleasing that patients can now enjoy the full range of services that the NHS App has to offer.
"This is a significant step in modernising NHS services, and should make life easier for patients and for practices, with the ability to book and manage appointments online, order repeat prescriptions, view your medical history and access 111 online, among other services."
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Dr Christopher Browning, a GP in Long Melford and chairman of NHS West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "This should help ease some of the pressures on practice reception desks and 'phone lines, giving people who use the app an alternative, and freeing up more time for those patients who wish to continue to use more traditional methods to interact with their practice."
The NHS App enables patients to:
- Check their symptoms and find out what to do when they need help urgently
- Book and manage appointments at their GP practice
- Order repeat prescriptions
- Securely view their GP medical record
- Register to be an organ donor
- Choose how the NHS uses their data
MORE: £2.6million NHS cash for Suffolk to target link between mental and physical healthTara Donnelly, chief digital officer for NHS England, said: "We have made significant progress over recent years in making GP services more accessible online.
"The NHS App is another major step forward as it provides all patients in England with the same service that is NHS owned and run.
"It's great that patients in east and west Suffolk can now use the full range of services in the NHS App. But this is just the first step in an exciting journey as we will continue to develop and add new features to the app to help improve the patient experience of dealing with the NHS and ease the pressure on the frontline."
For more information, visit www.nhs.uk/nhsapp
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