Digital prescriptions are now available in the NHS App, following a successful trial last year.

The new service will enable patients to see when their prescriptions have been issued and view their prescribed medication.

Patients without a nominated pharmacy will be able to use a barcode in the app to collect their prescription from any pharmacy instead of needing a paper version.

Through the app, those waiting for an elective hospital treatment will also now be able to see the average waiting time for their procedure at their local trust.

The new features are part of an initiative to encourage more people to use the app in their everyday lives and help free up time on the frontline.

According to NHS England, each repeat prescription ordered electronically saves GP practices three minutes of time, with those ordered using the app expected to save the equivalent of 1.85 million hours in 2024.

Patients also save an average of 18 minutes with each online order, making it more convenient for patients and freeing up time for frontline staff.

There are already 33.6 million registered users of the NHS - this is equivalent to around three quarters of the adult population.

Vin Diwakar, National Director for Transformation at NHS England said: “The NHS App is transforming the way people manage their healthcare, freeing up valuable time for healthcare professionals.

“Giving all patients in England direct access to prescription information through the app means they’ll know when their prescription is issued and avoid delays in collection.

“The new feature will also mean people who haven’t 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’re adding to the NHS App to provide better care for patients. I’d encourage anyone who hasn’t used the NHS App for a while, or who has never downloaded it, to tap the app and see what it has to offer.”

Joe Harrison, National Director of Digital Channels at NHS England, added: “The NHS App is helping to support our frontline staff, freeing up time to treat more patients and enabling patients to get more involved in their care.

“Millions of people are already using the app to order repeat prescriptions, and they’ll now also be able to view and manage their prescriptions using the new service in the app.”