NHS App prescription tracking: the 2025 rollout
NHS England reported nearly 400,000 people using prescription tracking in August 2025. The feature helps patients check when medicines are ready.
By Compare Pharmacies
NHS announcement:
Published by Compare Pharmacies:
What was announced in 2025?
In May 2025, NHS England announced that prescription tracking was available through the NHS App at nearly 1,500 pharmacies in England. By its update on 9 August, around 1,650 pharmacies offered the feature and 394,000 people had used it.
The August release recorded 715,000 uses in the first ten weeks. That is a count of tracking activity, not the number of individual users.
These are historical rollout figures. They explain the feature’s early uptake and should not be treated as today’s coverage or usage totals.
What problem does tracking solve?
Requesting a medicine and collecting it are separate stages. A GP may have approved your request while the pharmacy is still preparing the prescription. Tracking helps you check progress before setting off.
The NHS announcement included Ryan’s Pharmacy in Brighouse, which reported around an 80% reduction in calls after its software supplier connected prescription updates to the app. Its managing director, Yasif Salim, said: “We thought the lines must have gone down at first.”
That is one pharmacy’s experience, rather than a result promised for every pharmacy. For patients, the practical benefit is having a clearer indication of when a journey to collect medicines is worthwhile.
Where do I find prescription progress?
Open Your approved prescriptions from the NHS App homepage, then choose the prescription to see its details and the progress of individual medicines.
NHS guidance says tracking is being introduced gradually. If the app says your pharmacy does not provide tracking, ask the pharmacy which collection notification or update service it uses.
What do the different statuses mean?
Check the status of each medicine, especially when your prescription contains several items. The main distinctions are:
- Preparing: the pharmacy is working on the prescription or medicine.
- Part ready: some items are ready, but others are still outstanding.
- Ready to collect: the prescription or medicine is available for collection.
- Dispatched by pharmacy: a delivery has been sent; this is not confirmation that it has arrived.
What if something is missing or I need help?
If a prescription is partly ready, you can wait for the remaining medicines or ask the pharmacy about collecting the available items if you need them urgently. The NHS notes that incomplete items are often related to stock.
If you need a repeat medicine urgently, NHS guidance advises contacting your GP surgery, or NHS 111 when the surgery is closed. A tracking screen is not a substitute for getting help when you are running out.
Our directory can help you find the pharmacy’s contact details and listed opening hours.
