Skip to main content

Notifications and messaging in the NHS App

Patients can receive messages in the NHS App. 

Page contents

The NHS App messaging service provides a secure inbox that allows patients to receive messages from health and care services such as their GP surgery via the NHS App, instead of SMS (text message) or letter.

Patients will get a notification from the NHS App when they receive a message in their secure inbox, if they have notifications enabled on their device.

Messages currently going through to the NHS App include: some types of messages from GP surgeries, screening invitations, vaccination invitations and hospital appointments.

We are continuing to roll out NHS App messaging to more services across the NHS. Find out what’s new and what’s coming soon on the NHS App roadmap. 

Patients can find support with Messaging in the NHS App on the NHS website.

How it works

To receive a notification when a new message has been sent, the patient will need to switch on NHS App notifications on their device. This can be done in the NHS App or in the device settings. Notifications preferences may take 24 hours to take effect.

If a message is not successfully delivered to the NHS App or read by the patient, your messaging service provider will automatically send a message via another channel such as SMS or email. This is referred to as the "fallback" and is usually sent within 1-24 hours. The fallback option ensures the patient receives the message.

Your message service provider can offer both time sensitive and non-time sensitive messaging via the NHS App. However, in emergencies or circumstances where urgent care or communication is required, the clinician should contact the patient directly via telephone.

Benefits to staff and patients

Saves money
Saves money

The NHS spends millions of pounds on SMS and letter costs each year. We’re making NHS App messaging available to NHS commissioned services for free.

Safer and more secure
Safer and more secure

Messaging via the NHS App is more secure than other channels like SMS. SMS can be vulnerable to interception and spoofing but sending your patients messages to their NHS App secure inbox is much more secure. For patients, this means they will always know who messages come from, rather than seeing a messages from unidentified mobile numbers.

More reliable
More reliable

NHS App messaging means even if a patient changes their contact details, you will still be able to contact them.

Better content
Better content

NHS App messages can be longer than SMS and richer in content, for example with branding, link texts and interactive elements.

Getting started
Getting started

Speak to your communications supplier about NHS App messaging. Your supplier can integrate with the app using NHS Notify.

Tell your patients about NHS App messaging

It is important that all the staff you work with know that messages will be going to the NHS App, so that everyone can help inform patients. Read more about the NHS digital first patient communications strategy. 

Ideas to spread the word and help your patients with the NHS App:

  • make sure all your staff, including clinical staff, know about NHS App messaging so they can mention it to patients when appropriate you could organise a lunch and learn to educate your colleagues. Use these helpful resources 
  • put up posters in your building you can use the NHS App toolkit
  • put helpful videos on your website and display screens use the NHS App walk through videos 
  • use your social media pages or channel, for example Facebook or WhatsApp Business Channel
  • consider recording an automated voice message for patients to listen to while queueing on the telephone
  • speak to your NHS App Ambassador or volunteer to become one
  • run a patient drop-in session, and speak to your patients directly about the NHS App
  • discuss the NHS App with your Patient Participant Group (PPG) and get their ideas on how to promote the App to patients
  • speak to local community groups, like libraries, to find out if you can help them engage with local people there's support for them

Do's and don'ts

Do
  • write in a simple and concise way. Use language and terms your patients will understand. Your messages will go out to people with different comprehension skills, digital skills, reading age and native languages. Use the NHS content style guide which has common terms research shows understand
  • use correct formatting including using full sentences, headings, hyperlinks, paragraphs and line breaks to make your message clear and accessible
  • make sure that any content linked from the message you send is available for as long as necessary. This is especially critical where the click-through directly relates to the individual’s care, such as archives of forms, documents, or test results
  • listen to feedback from patients who report inappropriate or unwanted messages
Don't
  • send too many messages or messages irrelevant to the recipient and their direct care. Research suggests that if a patient receives too many messages not directly relevant to their care, their engagement with the NHS App reduces significantly
  • include personal data in any URLs sent in the message. However, because messages are secured by NHS login, you can include personal data and special category data (such as about someone’s care) in the body of the message
  • end messages with unsupported features, such as text requesting a reply using SMS keyword responses. Your supplier can tell you what’s available to you

Update your privacy policy

Consider updating your privacy policy to tell patients who their data is shared with and why.

You can use this wording on your website:

We use the NHS Account Messaging Service provided by NHS England to send you messages relating to your health and care. You need to be an NHS App user to receive these messages.

Further information about the service can be found at the privacy notice for the NHS App managed by NHS England.

Help and support

If you're having technical issues using NHS App messaging, contact your communications supplier.

Further information

external

Last edited: 15 September 2025 8:49 am