New data from the UK Government shows that reforms to the NHS App has helped stop a significant number of patient appointments from being missed, all while AI use has sped appointments up.

1.5 million hospital appointments have been saved due to the government’s accelerated rollout of the NHS App which helps patients to access treatment more conveniently, and is available to those aged 13 or over registered with a GP surgery in England.

Users can manage appointments, view prescriptions, access their GP health record, and receive notifications via the application, reducing stress on healthcare services and providing easier access to information and services.

Measures to expand the use of the app were declared earlier this year in the government’s Elective Reform Plan, which set out how patients will be offered a wider choice of providers and easier, quicker way to book appointments.

The UK Government has exceeded its first target under the plan to increase the number of hospitals allowing patients to view appointment information via the app up to 85% by the end of March, reaching 87%, which is up from 68% in July 2024.

Since July, the increased use of existing app features have saved almost 5.7 million hours of staff time, reducing 1.26 million clinical hours across care settings. In addition to the 1.5 million missed appointments avoided, the NHS App has helped save the equivalent of £622 million, data shows.

Analysis also revealed that almost 12 million fewer paper letters have been sent by hospitals since July, saving £5.2 million in postage costs. Forecasts for this year show the use of in-app notifications for planned care will prevent the need for 15.7 million SMS messages, saving the NHS a further £985,000.

Commenting on the data, health secretary Wes Streeting said: “By putting the latest technology into the hands of patients so they can access services quicker, we’re freeing up more time for doctors and nurses to focus on treating people and getting waiting lists down.

“This government is doing things differently. Every missed appointment and wasted staff hour saved means another patient getting the care they need as we drive a digital NHS revolution through our Plan for Change.”

News around the NHS App comes amid interim trial data showing that AI has also dramatically reduced healthcare admin, and has meant more people could be seen in A&E, that clinicians were able to spend more time focusing on the patient during appointments, and appointments were shorter.

NHS England-funded, London-wide work led by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children has evaluated ambient voice technologies capabilities—which can transcribe patient-clinican conversations and create structured medical notes—across a range of clinical settings.

The multi-site evaluation involving over 7,000 patients shows clinicians spent more time with patients rather than typing on a computer, and that the technology has supported more patients to be seen in emergency departments by carrying out admin for A&E staff.

New guidance published today encourages the further use of these technologies across a range of primary and secondary care settings, including hospitals and GP surgeries.

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“AI is the catalyst that will revolutionise healthcare and drive efficiencies across the NHS, as we deliver our Plan for Change and shift care from analogue to digital,” Streeting said.

“I am determined we embrace this kind of technology, so clinicians don’t have to spend so much time pushing pens and can focus on their patients.

“This government made the difficult but necessary decision at the Budget to put a record £26 billion into our NHS and social care including cash to roll out more pioneering tech.”