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Case Study

Improving Staff Engagement to Increase Patient Adoption of the NHS App in General Practice

Amjid Yaqub is the Assistant Practice Manager and Digital Lead across four GP Practices in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire: Bilborough Medical Centre and Grange Farm Medical Centre in Bilborough, Greendale Primary Care Centre in Sneinton and Parliament Street Medical Centre in Nottingham City Centre.


Since 2020, Amjid has worked closely with his practice team to improve patient access and reduce administrative demand by using the NHS App.

This approach has led to steady growth over recent years, with a notable boost during the COVID-19 vaccination period. As a result, pressure on the reception teams has decreased, whilst there has been increased use of the NHS App. When combined with other digital technology changes, online prescription requests and access to medical records via the NHS App have freed up time for reception and administration teams.

The Challenge

Like many GP practices, reception teams face the highest demand from patients for:

  • Test results
  • Diagnoses
  • Vaccination History
  • Prescription requests
  • General administrative queries

Prior to the increased uptake of the NHS App, these requests were mostly received via phone and in person interactions.

Many tasks were repetitive and time intensive. This placed considerable pressure on reception teams, phone lines, and limited staff capacity to support more complex patient needs.

The Approach – Increasing Staff Engagement and Confidence with the NHS App

Led by Amjid, the practices have taken a practical, staff-led approach to embedding the NHS App into their daily work routines:

    • Leading by example

Ensuring all practice staff are registered with the NHS App. This helps to build their own confidence in using the App, improve their understanding, and enable more informed conversations with patients.

  • Promoting key functionality

 

Patients are encouraged to use the NHS App for repeat prescriptions, accessing their medical record, and test results.

  • Supporting staff confidence

 

Using simple internal training methods, including step-by-step crib sheets and regular informal coaching.

  • Embedding digital leadership

 

Creating a local “digital champion” role within each GP Practice to maintain momentum and ensure consistent adoption of digital processes.

  • Aligning with wider digital changes

 

NHS App usage has been integrated alongside online consultation, total triage and telephony improvements which also help streamline patient access.

What Worked Well

The practices found the following NHS App features particularly valuable:

  • Repeat prescription ordering
  • Access to medical records
  • Viewing test results

These features made it easier for patients to access the information and services they need, reducing the need to contact the practice for routine requests.

A Positive Impact for Practice Teams and Patients

Sustained growth over time
Since 2020, NHS App registration across the four practices has grown reflecting a steady shift towards digital access. Growth accelerated during the COVID-19 vaccination programme, before continuing at a consistent pace, rising from 44% in 2024 to 71% in 2026.

Consistent progress across all practices

  • Grange Farm: 45% → 78%

  • Bilborough: 41% → 72%

  • Greendale: 37% → 67%

  • Parliament Street: 52% → 68%


For staff
  • Reduced volume of incoming calls and repeat prescription queries
  • Improved ability to prioritise patients requiring more personalised support
  • More efficient use of reception and administrative time
For patients

  • Greater convenience through 24/7 access to services
  • Reduced need for patients to contact the practice for routine requests
  • Increased visibility and control over their own health information

Key Learnings

A number of important also insights emerged from this approach:

  • Leading by example builds confidence
    • Encouraging all practice staff to register with the NHS App helps build familiarity and confidence. This enables them to better support and promote its use to patients
  • Simple messaging works
    • Staff respond best to clear messages with regards to benefits such as time savings and reduced workload. Patients are motivated by convenience and faster access to their own healthcare information.
  • Digital Confidence
    • Supporting patients to access their own information has been particularly effective in building confidence, especially in communities where people may be more cautious about using digital tools.
  • Onboarding remains a barrier
    • Some patients require support to get started. This highlights the importance of clear guidance and staff confidence
  • Ownership drives success
    • Having a local digital lead or champion ensures consistent promotion and sustained adoption
  • Integration matters
    • Aligning the NHS App with other digital tools (e.g. online consultation systems) maximises impact

Next Steps

The practices continue to identify several opportunities to further increase uptake and benefits. This includes:

  • Embedding NHS App awareness into practice staff inductions and training
  • Enhancing integration with online triage systems
  • Developing additional support resources, such as FAQs and onboarding materials
  • Continuing to build a network of digital champions across teams

Conclusion

While a range of digital improvements have contributed to change, a positive approach to using the NHS App has played a key role in supporting a shift towards more efficient patient-centred access.

Amjid says:

“Using the NHS App hasn’t just helped our patients access services more easily. It’s also made a real difference to how our reception teams work day-to-day, reducing queries and giving them more time to support patients who need it most.”

For further information and support for GP Practice teams:

NHS App training for Nottingham & Nottinghamshire GP Practices is delivered by NHIS and is available throughout the year. For more information and how to book visit: PCDC Portal and search ‘NHS App’

National NHS App materials for GP Practices are available from their website.

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