Notifications and messages in the NHS App

You can send patients messages they can read in the NHS App. To do this, you must use a messaging system that is integrated with the NHS App.  

Patient messaging is a core NHS App feature and GP practices should have it enabled, as outlined in the national operational planning guidance. 

Most messages are one way. Patients cannot respond to these messages but they can view and manage them. These types of messages are often sent by different local NHS services including GP practices and hospitals. National services may also send these messages as invitations to screenings or vaccinations. 

Most patients can only contact their GP practice through an online consultation form.  

Some patients may be able to send a secure message to their GP practice about a matter that is not urgent. The GP practice can reply and the patient can read the response.

Messages from NHS services are sent through a messaging system that is integrated with the NHS App. Patients can view and manage these messages, but they cannot reply to them.  

Patients who are the proxy for someone they care for cannot view or send messages from the profile of the person they care for. They can use their own profile to contact the GP practice on behalf of the person they care for. They do this through an online consultation form or, if available, sending a secure message. 

The messaging services privacy policy explains how the NHS uses patients’ information when they receive or access a message in the NHS App. 

Allowing patients to send a secure message 

GP practices that use SystmOne or EMIS Web can choose to turn on secure messaging in their system settings. Secure messages are not available in Medicus systems. 

If the settings are turned on, patients can send secure messages that are not urgent to their GP practice. For example, contacting their GP to request a fit note (sick note). 

There are 3 steps to secure messaging: 

1. The patient sends a message to their GP practice using the NHS App. 
2. The GP practice reads the message in their clinical system and sends a response. 
3. If the patient wants to follow up on the GP practice’s response, they cannot send another message. They must contact their GP practice in another way. 

Patients read and act on messages that get straight to the point and that they understand. 

Writing NHS messages guidance has useful information to help you write or edit messages for patients. The guidance tells you how to: 

• write messages that work well on different channels, including the NHS App 
• choose wording that patients understand 
• make content inclusive and accessible 

The guidance also includes examples and templates for messages you can send for the NHS App. 

Patients receive a notification if push notifications are turned on in their device settings. Patients must choose to receive notifications. They do not automatically receive notifications by default. NHS App help explains how patients can turn on notifications through the app. 

If notifications are turned on, a new message in the NHS App will trigger a notification. 

If the patient shares their device 

For privacy reasons, notifications do not include details of who the notification is for. Patients who share a device and have all notifications turned on will not know if a notification is for them until they log into the NHS App.  

If a patient logs into the NHS App and they do not have a message, the notification was for the other person who uses the device. 

If a patient does not read a message in the NHS App or the message is not delivered, the system sends the patient the same message by another channel, like a text message or email. This is called a fallback message. 

The timeframe for sending a fallback message is set by your messaging system supplier. Often, the fallback timeframe is a few hours. You cannot change the fallback timeframe. If the patient does not have notifications turned on, the fallback message is sent straight away. 

Some message types, like a friends and family questionnaire, are not currently supported by NHS App messaging. The messaging supplier will make sure these messages are not sent to the NHS App. 

Some patients may receive messages in the NHS App as part of national initiatives to book a screening or vaccination. If those patients do not read the message in the app, they may receive a follow up text message.

If a patient asks about this text message, you can reassure them that it is a genuine NHS notification. The patient will need to sign in to the NHS App or log in through the NHS website to read the message.

The text message will say:

Most messaging issues are caused by the NHS App rather than your GP IT system. If you do not have the right permissions to change the settings, speak to someone in your GP practice who does. 

Check the steps below before escalating to NHS App support. 

If you've checked all the relevant settings in your messaging system and followed the guidance on this page but the problem is not resolved, follow these steps. 

• First, check any guidance from your messaging system supplier or secure messaging system supplier to make sure that the settings that should be turned on are turned on. 
• Then, use the NHS App test patient to check if the problem is still there. 
• If the problem persists, contact your messaging system supplier or secure messaging system supplier as they can help you with configuration issues. 
• Finally, if the supplier confirms settings are correct, gather relevant evidence of the problem, like screenshots, and contact NHS App support. 

Escalate to NHS App support immediately if: 

• the issue affects multiple patients 
• you see error messages you do not recognise

There is help and support available for patients. 

NHS App help has information and guidance about: 

• using and managing messages 
• managing notifications 

There are useful walkthrough videos that show patients how to receive messages and turn on notifications in the NHS App. You can use these videos on your display screens and website. 

You can promote messages in the NHS App using our promotional toolkits. The toolkit has resources you can use online and in your workplace. 

There are different also groups that you can use to promote the NHS App to patients or help them with their problems. You can: 

• speak to your NHS App ambassador or join the group 
• run a drop-in session for patients 
• ask your patient participation group to promote the app 
• speak to local community groups, including libraries, who can promote the app and help patients with their app problems