Introduction
A practical, patient-focused approach to improving digital engagement in just four months.
Aims & Objectives
Gordon House Surgery wanted to increase NHS App registrations and encourage more patients to use digital services for managing their healthcare. The practice set out to:
- Increase NHS App registrations above the national average.
- Encourage greater use of the app for repeat prescriptions and accessing medical records.
- Improve patient awareness, confidence and understanding of the NHS App.
In April 2026, 73.2% of patients were registered for the NHS App, compared with the national average of 74.9%.
Challenges
Despite the benefits of the NHS App, Gordon House Surgery faced several barriers to increasing uptake:
- Registration rates were below the national average.
- Patients continued to rely on traditional methods for requesting repeat prescriptions and accessing medical records.
- Some patients lacked awareness of the app’s features or confidence in using them.
- Staff needed the knowledge and resources to promote the app consistently and support patients with digital access.
The challenge was not simply to increase registrations, but to encourage patients to actively use the app as part of their everyday healthcare.
The Redmoor Solution
A targeted, practice-wide improvement programme was introduced, focusing on making the NHS App more visible, accessible and relevant to patients.
The approach centred on embedding digital engagement into everyday patient interactions, rather than relying solely on promotional campaigns.
By equipping staff with the right knowledge, improving patient communications and promoting the app at key points in the patient journey, Gordon House Surgery was able to encourage greater digital adoption.
Inputs
Several practical interventions were implemented across the practice:
- Clinical engagement: QR codes were placed in consultation rooms, while clinical staff encouraged patients attending blood tests to use the NHS App to view their results.
- Reception engagement: Staff routinely promoted the app for repeat prescription requests and accessing medical records, while continuing to support patients unable to use digital services.
- Website improvements: NHS App information and a step-by-step walkthrough were prominently displayed on the practice homepage.
- Staff training: The management team was trained as NHS App ambassadors, providing patients with practical support and guidance.
- Patient awareness: Posters and QR codes were displayed throughout the surgery to encourage registrations.
- Performance monitoring: Weekly monitoring of NHS App registrations, record views and repeat prescription requests helped track progress and identify opportunities for improvement.
Impact
April and August 2026, Gordon House Surgery achieved significant improvements in NHS App uptake and usage:
| Measure | April 2026 | August 2026 |
| NHS App registrations | 73.2% | 79.5% |
| Repeat prescription requests | 771 | 883 |
| Detailed coded record views | 3,703 | 4,007 |
Key achievements:
- 6.3% point increase in NHS App registrations, moving from 1.7% points below the national average to 2.7% points above it.
- 14.5% increase in repeat prescription requests through the NHS App, outperforming the national growth rate of 8.5%.
- 8.2% increase in detailed coded record views, demonstrating increased patient engagement, although growth remained below the national rate of 9.5%.
These results were achieved before the introduction of planned social media and SMS campaigns, demonstrating the impact of relatively simple operational changes.
Key Learning
The most effective way to encourage digital adoption is to demonstrate its value at the moment patients need it.
Promoting the NHS App during blood test appointments proved particularly effective because patients had an immediate reason to use it.
The results demonstrate how small, consistent changes across the patient journey, combined with confident staff and accessible support, can deliver meaningful improvements in digital engagement without significant additional resources.
