Video consultation appointments on the myGP healthcare app rose a staggering 1,451% in March 2020.

As the UK continues to be grounded by the COVID-19 lockdown conditions, tech-savvy patients have signed up for the app, which allows users to access appointments at their surgery through their mobile phone.

The NHS-funded application, available on both Apple and Android devices, allows users to book GP appointments, order repeat prescriptions and set up medication reminders on your smartphone.

In March, 915 video calls/consultations were made using the app, compared to just 59 video appointments in February 2020 as patients listen to Government advice to only leave home if it really is essential.

The latest statistics available from myGP show there was also a 179% increase in medications successfully delivered directly to patients’ homes, as digital prescription orders almost doubled — a 47% rise from 93,116 orders in February, to 137,022 in March.

Communications and PR Manager Louise Kitchingham, who will speak at our virtual HealthTech event on Wednesday (see above), said: “myGP allows patients to have a remote consultation with their registered doctor so they do not need to worry about travelling from home to the surgery.

“It allows them to book an appointment, order medicines, and have a consultation all from home. The app provides credible access to NHS information, health tracking and medication reminders, which all aim to keep people safe and healthy during these worrying times.

“It is important, however that people continue to seek the help of their GP should they have concerns about their health. Through myGP, this is all possible without having to leave the house, so there is no reason why people should be putting off ‘seeing’ their GP.”

Over 21 million text messages (21,557,533) were transmitted in March alone, a rise from 8.9 million (8,969,322) being sent since in February.