Coming in December this year, the app will enable patients to make GP appointments, order repeat prescriptions, manage long-term healthcare and quickly access 111 for urgent medical queries. It will also let users state their preferences on organ donation, end-of-life care and data-sharing. Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that the app is a world-first, and he hopes it will "mark the death-knell of the 8am scramble for GP appointments that infuriates so many patients."

It's not the first time we've seen the NHS take a punt on digital services. Back in 2014 a number of improvements were implemented, giving patients access to their medical records online. However, as 2017's WannaCry attack demonstrated, the NHS still has a long way to go in bringing its administrative infrastructure up to speed. But in connecting patients directly to the services they need -- the ultimate purpose of the NHS -- this new app is an excellent place to start.