The NHS App has helped to reduce travel to GP practices with an average of 22,000 car journeys saved every month.
New analysis carried out by NHS Digital found that around 200,000 appointments and repeat prescriptions arranged through the NHS App between April and December last year would previously have been made by people driving to their local surgery.
The research also estimates that around 4,100 fewer bus and taxi journeys and around 5,500 fewer train and motorbike journeys are being made every month with patients using the app instead.
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In total, more than 206,000 car, bus and taxi trips to GP practices are estimated to have been saved between April to December 2021.
‘By using the NHS App to manage appointments and order repeat prescriptions online thousands of patient journeys to GP practices are being saved every month,’ said Susie Day, NHS Digital Head of Delivery, NHS App.
‘The NHS App is providing people with a convenient and secure way to access healthcare and is having a wider positive environmental impact.’
Patient journeys to GP practices account for around 17% of the carbon footprint of the NHS, and the journey savings are estimated to have led to carbon dioxide reduction of 78 tonnes.
Over 26 million people are now signed-up with the NHS App. In the last four months, more than 5.9 million repeat prescriptions were ordered and over 463,000 GP appointments were booked via the NHS App, saving valuable time for patients and clinicians.
‘Sustainability is a key priority for NHS Digital and the organisation is working to reduce its carbon footprint. Last year, use of the app helped save more than 200,000 car journeys, resulting in a significant reduction of carbon emissions,’ added Ms Day.