Breast and cervical screening invitations to be sent via NHS App

The plans partly meet a recommendation Healthwatch England (HWE) made to NHS England (NHSE) in September, that access to cervical screening be improved with a variety of invitation reminder and booking methods, including the NHS App. 

Women interviewed by local branches for the new HWE report Cervical screening,  My Way, highlighted the difficulty of booking cervical appointments via the main and busy GP surgery phone line and the lack of online booking options. 

NHSE's chief executive Amanda Pritchard said the new "ping and book" service was part of digitisation plans that would improve screening uptake and help save the NHS £130m over the next five years by reducing costs such as invites sent by post. 

When will the changes come in?

Breast screening invitations will start to be sent via the NHS App from next month, followed by direct appointment booking functionality on the App from early 2026. 

Cervical screening invitations will roll out via the App from Spring 2025.

Healthwatch is waiting to hear when appointment booking from the App will be enabled. 

How will it work?

Those eligible will first receive a notification through the App to remind them to book a screening appointment, followed by an email or text message. They will receive a letter through the post if neither of the first two reminders has been responded to.  

Women registered as female with their GP are automatically invited for mammograms for the first time between the ages of 50 and 53 and then every three years until they are 71. 

For cervical screening, women registered as female with their GP are automatically invited for the first time from six months before their 25 birthday, then every three years until they are 49 and then every five years until they are 64. 

The NHS currently requires trans or non-binary people who change their GP record marker from female to male, to 'opt-in' to screening by informing their GP surgery.