The NHS App, launched three years ago, now has over 22 million users and is one of the UK’s most downloaded apps.

More than 22 million people have now signed up to the NHS App, since the release on December 31 2018, with over 18 million new registrations since the NHS COVID Pass was added on 17 May.

The NHS App, which is managed by NHS Digital, was also the most downloaded free iPhone app this year.

Since being launched, a total of 10.4 million repeat prescriptions have been ordered and 1.1 million GP appointments have been booked via the App. In the past six months, 6.2 million repeat prescriptions have been ordered and 641,000 GP appointments have been booked.

Additionally, a total of 316,000 people have used the NHS App to manage their organ donation decision, with over 170,000 registrations in the last six months.

More than 140 million COVID Passes have been generated through the NHS App and NHS website since the service was added this May. The NHS COVID Pass is used for sharing COVID-19 vaccination records or test results when travelling abroad or attending certain events and venues domestically.

Simon Bolton, Interim Chief Executive at NHS Digital, said: “The NHS App was one of the most downloaded apps this year, with more than 22 million people using it. The NHS App has played a central role in the fight against COVID-19 helping to enable international travel and access to major events."

Minister for Innovation, Lord Kamall, said: “Technology has been a lifeline for so many during the pandemic and, crucially, it has helped us in our fight against COVID-19.

“Many of us are grateful for how communications technology allowed us to keep in touch with loved ones. In addition, better technology has also helped improve our system of healthcare by allowing clinicians to remotely monitor the health of patients, enabling people to order prescriptions online and to access their COVID-19 vaccine records, making events and travel safer."

Matthew Gould, Chief Executive of NHSX, said: “We developed the NHS COVID Pass at extraordinary speed, and have kept updating it to meet the changing needs of the country as we deal with the pandemic. It is now an important tool in keeping people safe in the face of the Omicron variant.”