Library staff will be helping members of the public access online health services and learn how to use the NHS App in a Government scheme rolled out from October.
NHS England has said it will be contacting both public and NHS libraries in the coming weeks to provide toolkits and information that can be used to support people see their health information online and better manage their health.
The scheme, a joint venture between the NHS and the National Health Literacy Partnership, is based on pilots in 14 libraries that showed people were happy to be shown how to use NHS.uk by public library staff.
Work is already underway in a small number of libraries across England to support people to get started with the NHS App.
John Quinn, Chief Information Officer at NHS England, and a former librarian said: ‘Public libraries are at the heart of our communities and offer a significant opportunity to reach those who face barriers when it comes to accessing their health information online.
‘The NHS App has more than 34 million registered users and we want to ensure no-one is excluded from using this service.’
NHS England said libraries already play a vital role in making online services more accessible and that a a recent survey by Ipsos revealed that librarians are the third most trusted profession in Britain.
In Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB, ‘digital cafes’ are held in local libraries for those who want to use the NHS App but need a bit of extra help getting started.
Marta Fischer, a digital access lead at the ICB, an ambassador for the NHS App and who runs the sessions said: ‘People find it really easy to use once I talk them through it, they find being able to see test results and their records online helpful.’
She added that many of the patients she works with ‘appreciate how easy the NHS App makes it to order their repeat prescriptions online and help them keep track of their healthcare.’
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said the NHS App has a ‘vital role to play in getting our health service back on its feet’ and that this scheme will help boost access across the country.
The NHS App is now offers a range of features, from viewing their GP health record to nominating their preferred pharmacy.
Patients in many parts of the country are now able to view and manage their hospital appointments on the app, and many GP practices are now sending NHS App notifications to patients with appointment reminders and other messages relating to their care, NHS England said.
