The NHS App is now linked up to every acute NHS trust in England, freeing up staff time and resources, which is increasing productivity and helping reduce waiting lists.

Dr Zubir Ahmed, health innovation and safety minister, said: ‘The NHS App is already transforming the way people manage their care — and these figures show just how popular it is.

‘With patients at every hospital now able to view their referrals and appointments, and millions more ordering prescriptions and receiving health messages digitally, we are cutting the admin burden while helping to drive down waiting lists.

‘Fewer missed appointments means more patients getting the treatment they need, sooner. The NHS App is central to our ambition of shifting the NHS from analogue to digital and giving the patient more control - and we're only just starting there.'

Some 41m people are now registered with the NHS App to access services such as test results, prescriptions, patient records, patient messaging and appointment information from wherever they are.

More than 15m users logged into the app during March alone – up by almost a third over the last 12 months. Prescription ordering through the app also rose by more than a third, saving time for both patients and NHS staff.

Patients at all acute NHS trusts commissioned to provide services for adults can now view their referrals and appointments through the NHS App, with 8.7m views last month (March) - up 93% compared to a year ago.

People being treated at around half of trusts can receive appointment reminders via NHS App push notifications, preventing missed appointments. They can also see health documents such as discharge summaries in the app, reducing the need for paperwork.

New features planned for the NHS App over the next year include follow-up appointment requests and access to specialist care through the NHS's new online hospital.

NHS Online, which will see its first patients next year, aims to transform and modernise the delivery of healthcare by providing triage for patients through the NHS App as well as video consultations with doctors.