Bianca Ilii's began her journey as an NHS App Ambassador while serving as Barnet Social Prescribing Manager, where she led a neighbourhood pilot focused on digital inclusion. The project brought together partners including Primary Care Network (PCN) 2, former PCN1D, Age UK Barnet, Barnet Council’s Digital Champions, and Patient Participation Group (PPG) representatives. Through this joint effort, staff across PCNs were upskilled to confidently use the NHS App, resulting in four one-to-one support sessions for patients and the creation of a digital resource booklet to aid their learning.

Alongside this, Bianca co-developed a poster with Barnet Homes to inform residents about using the NHS App to access medical evidence for housing applications. This initiative promoted awareness among both patients and staff.

In her current role, Bianca organised two community events for Barnet PCN2. These collaborative events, supported by community pharmacy, Central London Community Healthcare, Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise, Barnet Council and others. The most recent event attracted more than 60 residents.

Throughout her journey, Bianca has identified three key lessons:

• the NHS App supports both health and wellbeing
• one-to-one support fosters digital confidence
• community organisations are keen to align with NHS App initiatives and amplify impact.

For more information, contact Bianca Ilii, NHS App Ambassador & Care Coordinator, Barnet PCN2.

NCL ICB has launched a quality improvement project to increase the uptake of NHS App notifications; a key feature for ensuring patients receive timely updates from their GP, including appointment reminders, test results, and other important messages.

The Islington GP Federation reviewed data from four practices and found that 36-47% of patients who had downloaded the NHS App did not have notifications enabled. Using EMIS searches and iPlato, they identified these patients and targeted them directly.

A short SMS video was then sent, featuring a local NHS App Ambassador and a screen recording demonstrating how to enable notifications. In just the first week, the video received over 502 views, and more than 280 patients activated notifications, highlighting the strong impact of this simple intervention.

To support rollout across other practices, a step-by-step implementation guide has been created. This project demonstrates how small, personalised, and targeted actions can significantly boost patient engagement and ensure vital health information reaches patients when they need it most.

For more information or to receive the guide, contact Phoebe Alexander, Islington GP Federation Digital Products Lead, phoebe.alexander@nhs.net or Marion Smith, NHS App Ambassador and NCL Digital Change Project Manager, marion.smith27@nhs.net.

Sign up as an NHS App Ambassador by emailing england.appambassadors@nhs.net.

Users can run a search from the Arden set of searches to identify patients that are not registered with the NHS App. They can then send a message to those patients promoting the NHS App registration.

Agnes Rieu, NHS App Ambassador and NCL Digital & Transformation Lead, recently led a project which identified patients who were not registered and launched a campaign to promote the NHS App to those patients.

To identify the patients who were not registered, a search was undertaken via the Ardens searches in EMIS called: Info - Online record access. This was followed by an inhouse search: patients who are not registered on NHS App.

Once the search had run, a message promotion campaign was launched for those patients who were not yet registered on the NHS App. 

For more information, contact Agnes Rieu, agnes.rieu1@nhs.net,  or Marion Smith, marion.smith27@nhs.net.

To sign up as an NHS App Ambassador, email england.appambassadors@nhs.net

Since taking up the role in 2019, one NHS App Ambassador in north central London says they have seen first-hand the potential of the NHS App to transform how patients engage with healthcare services and they want to share their story.

In January 2025, PCN1W recruited two-three NHS App Ambassadors per practice. This included receptionists, practice managers, social prescribers, and pharmacists; resulting in a team of 18 dedicated individuals. All the ambassadors attended the NCL (virtual) structured training session in February 2025 and are now actively promoting the app within their practices and communities.

Initiatives have included dedicated website banners, regular features in patient newsletters, printed materials from the NHS App toolkit, and an SMS campaign targeted at unregistered patients.

Between January and June 2025, a 1 to10% increase in NHS App registrations was recorded across the four GP practices. A positive trend that reflects the collective efforts of the NHS Ambassadors.

Looking ahead, the group remains focused on sustainability and continued engagement.

Key next steps are:

• ongoing monthly data sharing with practices and ambassadors
• post-training debriefs sessions in August with NCL ICB NHS App lead
• undertake a collaborate NHS App self-assessment in each practice
• in-practice half-day promotional events
• NHS App presence at future PCN-led patient events
• continued participation in national NHS App webinars and updates.

The NHS Ambassadors ambition is clear: to empower patients through digital access, improve service efficiency, and support primary care resilience.

For further information, contact, Agnes Rieu, Digital & Transformation Lead/ NHS App Ambassador, e: agnes.rieu1@nhs.net. 

Sign up as an NHS App Ambassador via email: england.appambassadors@nhs.net or marion.smith27@nhs.net

Since launching its digital transformation initiative in November 2023, Brunswick Park Medical Practice (BPMP) has focused on improving access to repeat prescriptions through a team-led approach centred on the NHS App. Prescription requests are now received exclusively online or via community pharmacies, with a full shift to NHS App-only requests planned from August 2025.

This transition is part of the practice's commitment to patient empowerment and sustainable digital healthcare to improve safety, efficiency, and transparency in prescribing.

To support this shift, several measures have been introduced.

• Digital kiosk: A self-service kiosk installed in the waiting area for easy access to services such as NHS App login, eConsults, and patient registrations.
• NHS App promotion: Posters, QR codes, and displays highlight features such as prescription ordering, appointments, and medical record access.
• practice website and SMS campaigns: BPMP has updated its website with NHSE-approved materials and targeted messages to encourage app adoption.
• staff support: The practice's 'Green Button' initiative ensures all staff promote online access during interactions by checking patients’ online access status.
• hands-on help: In-practice support and NHS App Ambassador training enable printed resources, one-on-one assistance and demonstrations.

BPMP's Quality Improvement project has centred on prescription processes, with continuous monitoring and refinement based on feedback and NHS App uptake data via the dashboard. As the practice approaches the August 2025 milestone, it remains committed to innovation, inclusion, and supporting patients throughout this transition.

For more information about the change, contact Judy Wilson, MIGPM, Operations Lead.

Sign up to become an NHS App Ambassador by emailing: england.appambassadors@nhs.net or contact Marion Smith, NCL Digital Change Project Manager.

In an era where digital transformation is revolutionising healthcare, Lane End Medical Group has emerged as a digital champion.

It is leading the shift from paper-based repeat prescriptions to a fully online system via the NHS App.

Manisha Patel, managing partner, explains that since 1 January 2025, and following a period of consideration and preparation, Lane End Medical Group, no longer accepts paper requests for repeat prescriptions.

Instead, patients are encouraged to use the NHS App, a secure and convenient way to manage medications online.

Recognising digital exclusion risks, Lane End Medical Group prioritises a supportive, patient-first approach by offering assistance and alternative solutions for those unable to use the app.  

Lane End Medical Group's success, in transitioning to online-only repeat prescriptions via the NHS App shows the practice's commitment to improving patient access while modernising healthcare delivery. By engaging, supporting, and empowering patients, the practice is proving that digital transformation is not just about technology, it is at its core about people.

Practices which are considering a similar shift, the key takeaway is clear: engage, support, and empower your patients to embrace digital solutions.

For further information contact, Lane End Medical Group, Managing Partner, manisha.patel8@nhs.net.