Patients can’t log in to the NHS App or connect to the GP practice

Guidance for GP practices on when patients can’t log in to the NHS App, connect to the surgery or get error codes relating to this. 

If a patient needs a new PIN document, ensure the online account is linked to the patient's record when resetting the linkage or passphrase details.

Ensure the new linkage is different to the previous one. Patients at GP surgeries using TPP can reset their passphrase themselves.

If the patient is using an iOS device, please ask them to ensure 'Smart Punctuation' is turned off.

Ensure the linkage/passphrase length is between 6-15 characters and the Account ID length is between 10-15 characters.

This is not a technical error, the GP system is not connecting the patient to the NHS App.

Patient can’t connect to their GP surgery on the NHS App:

Patients will see screens indicating they can’t connect to the GP surgery, or NHS login can’t access the surgery’s online services.

This means:

1. you have not created them an online account
2. the patient has not used their account in the last 12 months
3. you have archived their account
4. their demographics don’t match up on your computer system

You can:

• create an online account for the patient on your system
• make sure the patient's details on PDS/spine are synced with your system
• make sure the patient's online account is not archived

If this doesn't work, use this contact form and the NHS App customer resolution team will investigate further.

Patient cannot log in to the NHS App: Error code 3R

Patients will see screens indicating they cannot log in and may also see an error message.

This means

• there are no ODS code associated with the patient's number

You can

• check your patient is registered at the practice on your GP clinical system
• check spine is synced with your clinical system by using your NHS Smartcard
• ask the patient to log out and in again

Patients cannot access the NHS App in their area: Error Code 3F

Patients will see screens indicating they cannot access NHS App in their area.

This means

1. the patient recently moved to England from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland*
2. the patient is ex-armed forces.

You can:

• check your patient is registered at the practice on your clinical system
• check Spine is synced with your clinical system by using your NHS Smartcard
• ask the patient to log out and in again

*The NHS App is only available in England and the Isle of Man. 

What to do if your patient has changed their email or no longer has access to their old email address associated with their NHS login account.

If the patient can remember their password and can remember their old email address:

They need to log into their account with their original email address and change the email associated with the NHS login or NHS App account.

If the patient can’t remember their password, but can access their old email account:

They need to select the forgotten password link. This will send an email to their old email address for action. The patient can then follow the guidance to reset the email address.

If the patient can’t remember their password and can’t access or recover their old email account:

They need to raise a case to the NHS login service desk, as they will need their NHS login account cleansing. This means they can set up a new account associated with their medical record.

Contacting the service desk for user account cleansing

When contacting the NHS login/NHS App service desk, provide the following information to help us process your request:

1. Patient’s new email address. This should either be in the email address section of the form or in the description.
2. Patient’s old email address. This should either be in the email address section of the form or in the description.
3. Last 3 digits of the patient’s NHS number
4. The date of the last successful account access, if known
5. Description of steps taken so far. Making clear that the patient cannot access or recover the account.

If the patient cannot provide the information or if the answers are incorrect, the user’s account may need to be reset. The user will then need to re-link to their NHS number and potentially need to re-prove who they are using verification methods with or without ID.  

Note, the GP can reset patient's online account in they only have low level verification (P0), where the patient has only created an account with an email address for their NHS login.

If someone does not have an email address, or shares an email address, you can help them to set up a free account with an email provider.