Patients in west Hertfordshire are to get the chance to try out a new NHS app – before it is rolled out nationally.

The ‘NHS app’ is designed to allow patients to book appointments, re-order prescriptions, and even view their GP records on their mobile phones.

Patients will also be able to use it to check their symptoms or to register their organ donor preferences.

The app was piloted by 3,000 patients last year and it is due to be launched nationally later in the year.

But GPs within the Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group are already taking an early look at it.

And it is likely to be available to their patients soon as part of an ‘early launch’.

Chief executive Kathryn Magson outlined the plans for the app to a meeting of the Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group governing body on Thursday (April 25).

In her written report, she said: “The CCGs in the sustainability and transformation partnership (STP) were chosen by NHS Digital (NHSD) to be an early launch site for the NHS App.

“This app went live in Herts Valley practices in mid-March and allows patients to book on-line appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view their GP record and also register their organ donor preferences.

“The app will receive a national launch during July 2019.

“The future vision for the app is that it will become a patient’s portal to their NHS care wherever that is delivered with access to medical records and appointments across all care providers.”

The CCG intend to release more information about the app later in the summer, as it becomes available to patients.

More information for patients about the scheme nationally is available at www.nhs.uk/nhsapp