The NHS App’s new features include tracking prescriptions and viewing local hospital waiting times. Credit: PeopleImages.com – Yuri A / Shutterstock.

NHS App users in England can now monitor when their prescriptions are issued and view their medication list.

This update comes after a successful trial conducted with over one million users.

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Additionally, patients awaiting optional hospital treatments can now access the average waiting time for procedures at their local trust using the app.

Users who do not have a nominated pharmacy can now collect prescriptions using a barcode in the app, eliminating the need for paper prescriptions.

People with nominated pharmacies will continue to receive their medicines without needing a barcode or paper prescription, as details are directly relayed to their pharmacy electronically.

Patients can also use the app to seek repeat prescriptions digitally.

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The app is said to have seen a significant increase in the number of repeat prescriptions ordered digitally, with a 45% rise over the last year, averaging 3.1 million monthly requests.

Every electronic repeat prescription is estimated to save GP practices three minutes, while users can cut down an average of 18 minutes per transaction, freeing up medical workers for other critical tasks.

NHS England national director for transformation Vin Diwakar said: “Giving all patients in England direct access to prescription information through the app means they will know when their prescription is issued and avoid delays in collection.

“The new feature will also mean people who have not set a nominated pharmacy will be able to present the barcode in the app to a pharmacy of their choice without needing a paper version.

“The prescription service is the latest in a number of services we are adding to the NHS App to provide better patient care. I would encourage anyone who hasn’t used the NHS App for a while, or who has never downloaded it, to tap it and see what it has to offer.”