Millions of patients were left unable to access the NHS app after a major outage disrupted key digital health services, including GP appointment bookings, prescription orders and 111 access.
This morning, users attempting to log in were met with an error message stating: ‘We could not log you in. This may be a temporary problem. You can go back and try logging in later.’
The disruption was flagged by outage tracker Downdetector, which recorded a surge in reports from users experiencing problems with the service.
Data from the site suggested user reports spiked at around 11.41am. The technical issue was later reported to have been resolved at around 2.58pm.
At the time of writing, NHS officials have not confirmed the cause of the outage.
Frustrated users took to X (formerly Twitter) to report issues.
One wrote: ‘@NHS is your app down? I can’t access the app or the app team. What’s the problem. Different error code every time.’
Another said: ‘Is the @NHSuk app completely broken for anyone else right now? I keep getting an error message when I try to log in… Help!’
Those attempting to log in were instead met with an error message stating: ‘We could not log you in. This may be a temporary problem. You can go back and try logging in later’
Others questioned the growing reliance on digital healthcare, with one user adding: ‘This is exactly why being forced to rely so heavily on digital tech for important, time-sensitive health-related things is a bad thing.’
The NHS app allows users in England to manage healthcare digitally, including ordering repeat prescriptions, booking GP appointments, viewing medical records and test results, managing hospital referrals, and accessing NHS 111 symptom checks.
It also enables patients to manage organ donation decisions and receive messages from their GP or hospital.
The outage comes despite NHS-linked accounts urging people to book their spring COVID-19 vaccine online or via the NHS App.
The disruption also comes amid wider debate over the future of the NHS app as ministers push plans to make it central to digital healthcare.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has pledged major upgrades, including AI-powered tools designed to answer medical questions and guide patients through care options.
Under proposals in the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan, the app is expected to become a ‘digital front door’ to the NHS, with patients able to book, change and cancel appointments and access personalised medical advice.
Mr Streeting has said the aim is to end the ‘8am scramble’ for GP appointments and make accessing healthcare ‘as easy and convenient as doing your banking or shopping online’.
By 2028, the app is expected to combine elements of patients’ medical records with AI tools to provide instant guidance and direct users to appropriate care.
Millions of patients have been left unable to access the NHS app after it suffered a major outage
However, patient groups have warned that a shift towards digital-first healthcare could risk excluding some users, particularly older people.
Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices, said there were concerns that greater reliance on the app could leave some patients behind, adding: ‘For some, the doctor in their pocket will be padlocked.’
Caroline Abrahams of Age UK described the plans as ‘truly exciting’, but stressed the need to ensure that ‘no one is left behind’.
A survey of 8,000 people for the Health Foundation found only 49 per cent would be willing to use AI features in a redesigned NHS app, while 32 per cent said they would not.
Support was higher for practical functions, including booking hospital appointments (76 per cent), choosing a preferred hospital (73 per cent), and accessing information about procedures (73 per cent).
Ahmed Binesmael, senior improvement analyst at the Health Foundation, said the findings showed strong support for everyday digital healthcare tasks, but greater caution around AI-generated advice.
He added that ‘meaningful engagement with the public will be essential’ to ensure new tools meet patient needs and do not widen inequalities.