A trial version of the GOV.UK App has now been made available for download through the App Store and Google marketplace, allowing people to interact with government services through their smartphones.
There are currently a reported 88 million visits to the GOV.UK website each month, made up of people trying to access a range of public services connected to care, travel, business, money and tax, parenting and more. The app is said to “let people access these services right away, rather than having to scour the internet”, which will reportedly allow them to get information, request support or change their details with ease.
Future plans for the app include adding the government’s generative AI chatbot, GOV.UK Chat, giving users the ability to ask “niche questions” and making it easier for them to apply for support. There are also plans in place to launch the GOV.UK Wallet later in the year, which will pilot digital driving licences for ID purposes, ultimately contributing to the government’s aims to transform public services as part of their Plan for Change.
“By putting public services in your pocket, we will do away with clunky paper forms and hours spent on hold, so you can immediately get the information you need and continue on with the rest of your day,” technology secretary, Peter Kyle said. Speaking on the functionality of the app, he added, “You will then get personal notifications, reminding you when your MOT is due or whether you need to register to vote, and then you will be able to closely track your childcare credits just as you do your bank account.”
Digital apps in healthcare: the wider trend
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust recently launched the HealthZone UK app to support cancer patients and their families. It provides access to relevant information, guidance and advice while also covering key areas such as physical and mental health.
The Department of Health and Social Care has detailed plans for the AI companion tool, “My Companion” to work alongside the NHS App. Designed to give patients more choice and control over their own care, the new tool is said to provide access to trusted health information while also supporting patients in articulating their health needs and preferences.
Last month, the Humber Health Partnership launched a free app to support women experiencing pelvic health problems during and after pregnancy. The Squeezy app can be downloaded directly from the partnership’s website, providing support and advice to patients for pelvic floor muscle exercises.
In May, Google Health released a new open model built on Gemma 3 and designed for health app developers. Having been evaluated on “a range of clinically relevant benchmarks”, its potential use cases include medical image classification, medical image interpretation and medical text comprehension and clinical reasoning.
