Millions of patients in England have been unable to access the NHS app following a significant outage that disrupted crucial digital health services, including booking GP appointments and ordering prescriptions. Users reported receiving error messages while trying to log in, with Downdetector tracking a surge in complaints. As of now, NHS officials have not confirmed the cause of the outage or provided an estimated time for service restoration. This disruption comes amid ongoing discussions about the future of the NHS app, which is intended to be a central component of digital healthcare. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has announced plans for major upgrades, including AI-powered tools to assist patients in navigating their healthcare options. However, patient advocacy groups have raised concerns that a digital-first approach could alienate older patients and those less familiar with technology. A recent survey revealed that while many users support practical features like booking appointments, there is hesitance towards AI-generated medical advice, highlighting the need for careful public engagement in future developments.