The total number of organ donation decisions registered for the first time through the NHS App crossed the half million threshold in August.
Specifically, the number of commitments from members of the public hit 546,825 — 22% increase from 448,562 in August 2022.
NHS England says that means 98,263 new organ donation decisions were registered via the NHS App during the period September 2022 – August 2023.
But the health service would like to see even more, as more than 7,000 patients are actively awaiting such donations.
NHS England also says registering a preference on organ donation helps specialist nurses quickly understand people’s wishes, and so ultimately save lives.
Figures released on the back of ‘Organ Donation Week 2023’ by the body show that:
- the NHS App has now had more than 32.8 million sign-ups since its launch in December 2018
- over 29.1 million repeat prescriptions were ordered via the app in the last year (around 500,000 every week)
- more than 13 million messages have been delivered to NHS patients in the NHS App from GP surgeries, hospitals and national services
- there have been over 480,000 COVID vaccinations booked on the NHS App since November 2022
- eligible patients will also receive ‘flu and COVID vaccination invitations through the app this winter.
Overall, organ donation preferences have so far been managed 4.1 million times through the NHS App.
Commenting on the figures, NHS England’s delivery director for the NHS App Martin O’Neil said, “In a time when more than 7,000 patients are actively waiting for a transplant, it’s really encouraging to see that the total number of organ donation decisions registered for the first time through the NHS App has increased by over 20% in this last year.
“This is an important decision to make, and another way in which the NHS App is helping patients to manage their choices and access healthcare.
“The NHS App has now had more than 32 million sign-ups across England and is used by people of all ages: from students starting at university and needing to register with a GP to older people using it to order a repeat prescription without the need to make a trip to their GP.”
NHS England’s national director for transformation Vin Diwakar added, “With nearly 4,600 transplants facilitated across the UK last year, organ transplantation is one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine.
“With more than 7,000 currently on the waiting list, there is still lots to do, but the NHS App means it’s never been easier to make an informed decision on organ donation.
“It’s fantastic to see more than half a million people have already done just that.”
Earlier this week the Ada Lovelace Institute and UK health think tank the Health Foundation warned that designers of UK digital healthcare need to take issues of digital inclusion more seriously.
