Scotland’s new health and social care app will be made available to people across Scotland from next spring.

The Scottish government has announced the MyCare.scot app will be rolled out to all Scots from April 2026 after its initial launch for NHS Lanarkshire dermatology outpatients in December.

The app will be evaluated, considering user feedback and experience, before being rolled out incrementally over the next four years.

MyCare seeks to transform how people access and interact with their health and social care services, providing users with a secure digital identity and access to some personal information, according to the government.

It will also help users access advice through NHS inform.

Once rollout is complete, the government says MyCare will be ‘the most wide-ranging app’ offered to patients anywhere in the UK.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care, Neil Gray MSP, said the app will help NHS Scotland bring down waiting lists and support people to receive care closer to home:

“MyCare.scot is the single biggest digital innovation in Scotland’s health and social care system and will revolutionise how people manage and receive their healthcare.

“The introduction of this app will be a landmark moment for Scotland and aligns with the commitments this government has made to bringing down waiting lists, and making care more personal and closer to home.”

From next spring, MyCare will be expanded to hospital-based services before encompassing other services across the health and social care system, including GP practices, pharmacy, social work and social care.

The roll out plan says initial focus will be on the ‘business services’ wherein targeted areas include prevention, mental health and cancer to be developed.

Beyond engaging with the people who deliver services, the government says it will hear from patients using the MyCare app to gather continuous feedback for improve its function and accessibility.

From this and co-design with health and care service leaders, future developments will be made to the app throughout 2026 and 2027.

Mr Gray said that the government has so far collaborated with NHS Education for Scotland and wider stakeholders in the co-design and development of app.

The app announcement coincides with the final day of Scotland’s National Innovation Week.

Read more: Scotland-first virtual reality for chronic pain; The app for more ‘dementia friendly' communities; Scheme for GPs to help lost patients; Digital tool aims to tackle long dermatology waits; NHS waits pushing more patients private; Pain assessments meet AI in Scotland's care homes

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