UK parties promise national NHS app
Scottish Labour pledged to deliver a national NHS app for appointment bookings and prescriptions if elected, and the UK is actively debating a national digital ID scheme that would underpin secure app access reported reported. Political momentum for digital health and identity could accelerate large‑scale opportunities for compliant location and access controls in health apps.
The Scottish Government awarded a £27.8 million contract to CGI in May 2025 to deliver the national patient portal now branded MyCare.Scot (digitalhealth.net). An initial Lanarkshire dermatology pilot ran in December 2025, with ministers scheduling a wider national rollout for April 2026. (digitalhealth.net) Ministers previously confirmed a separate £12 million investment for a “health and social care app” and published a national rollout timetable ahead of the May 2026 Holyrood election. (futurescot.com) The UK Cabinet Office published its national digital identity consultation on March 10, 2026, under the title “Making public services work for you with your digital identity.” (gov.uk) Whitehall set an eight‑week consultation window for the proposals, according to Computer Weekly, as ministers seek input on how a digital ID would operate across public services. (computerweekly.com) The House of Commons Library briefing (CBP‑10369) records that the government has announced plans for a mandatory national digital ID scheme, with the research note published on January 16, 2026. (commonslibrary.parliament.uk) Industry reporting says the government intends to build a core digital ID capability in‑house while not supplanting private identity providers, a stance described as providing “some certainty and reassurance” to digital verification firms. (computerweekly.com) By contrast, the NHS App in England — launched in January 2019 — had passed 39 million registered users and handled 67.8 million repeat prescriptions in the 12 months to November 30, 2025, underscoring the scale any UK‑wide patient app programme might target. (england.nhs.uk)
