# AskFirst (formerly Ask NHS) — user reviews > 114 indexed App Store user reviews of AskFirst (formerly Ask NHS) by Sense.ly Corporation, rated 4.40/5 from 64 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/askfirst-formerly-ask-nhs/id1222121280/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/askfirst-formerly-ask-nhs/id1222121280.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 50 · 4★ 5 · 3★ 1 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 8 ## What do users think of AskFirst (formerly Ask NHS)? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🚀 Quick and efficient appointment booking - 👍 User-friendly interface for simple tasks - ⏱️ Saves time compared to phone queues - 📱 Easy to navigate once familiar with app - 🎯 Provides appointment options and flexibility - 💪 Reduces need for phone calls to surgery **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent crashes and 'Access Denied' errors - 🔄 Logging out mid-process without saving progress - ❌ Poor age calculation and data handling - 😕 Limited diagnostic capabilities beyond triage - 🔐 Login and authentication issues - ⚠️ Creepy and unnecessary avatar animations - 🚫 No back button or ability to correct mistakes - 📊 Generic questions that don't fit all conditions - 🔗 Fails to connect with some GP surgeries - ⏳ Slow performance and latency issues - 🎯 Confusing navigation and unclear options - 👥 Excludes users with multiple family members at same address - 🔄 Repetitive questioning in loops - 📱 Incompatible with older phone operating systems - 🌐 Poor integration with NHS systems **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes with 'Access Denied' popup - Logs out unexpectedly mid-booking process - Age calculation incorrect despite correct birthdate input - Login credentials not recognized (NHS and Ask First) - Forgot password link not sent - Postcode validation rejects valid postcodes - Blank questions appear in symptom checker - Microphone input not recognized - App hangs and becomes unresponsive - Appointment booking fails after multiple attempts - Cannot change GP practice once linked - Flu vaccine option missing from some app instances - Virtual assistant misinterprets typed symptoms - Glitches before completing booking process - No record of appointment created despite confirmation - Incompatibility with older iOS versions **Most requested features** - Back button to navigate and correct mistakes - Ability to save progress and return later - Preview available appointments before answering all questions - Support for multiple family members with same date of birth - Better integration with NHS records and existing systems - Option to speak with human advisor when chatbot fails - Unified NHS app combining all services - Improved virtual assistant with better AI and natural conversation - Review and edit answers before submission - Better accessibility features for visually impaired users - Ability to add more detail to symptoms and medical history - Support for prescription refills and medication management - Clearer indication of appointment availability upfront - Single login for multiple family members - Better support for women's health issues ## Newest reviews (15 of 114) ### 4/5 — Patient *2025-03-26, version 3.14.2* I find some of the questions hard to figure out because I just need a doctors appointment but it wanted me to dial 999 so I had to start over again ### 2/5 — Review *2025-03-10, version 3.14.2* The app kept hanging. It was very slow. ### 3/5 — Difficult for adding children. *2025-03-07, version 3.14.2* I had to set up my children using a new email each time which was very inconvenient. I had to set up 2 extra email accounts in order to do this. Also signing out of my account and then into another is time consuming and means I have to remember many passwords. ### 1/5 — AI slop *2025-02-04, version 3.14.2* Disgusting app. Horrible use of ai and clunky interface. Bring back talking to real people ### 3/5 — AZ *2025-01-27, version 3.14.2* It is almost impossible to make an appointment even though it is a follow up appointment. ### 1/5 — Creepy avatars *2025-01-27, version 3.14.2* The avatars are creepy and unnecessary, it doesn’t add anything and I hate using the app because of them ### 2/5 — Amends *2025-01-13, version 3.14.2* It is very difficult to amend responses, extremely frustrating. ### 1/5 — Useless *2024-12-18, version 3.14.2* The NHS is being lazy, trying to reduce staff. App doesn’t work. We need empathic staff. ### 1/5 — Meldrew61 *2024-12-11, version 3.14.2* This has to be the worst app I have ever used. Trying to navigate through it is impossible. There is no back option so if you make a mistake or come to a dead end you have to start from the beginning. Also there are times when a question is asked but only one option is given so if it isn’t what you want you have to start all over. This has been developed by gamers who think when you come to a dead end then starting from scratch is normal. ### 1/5 — Useless *2024-12-08, version 3.14.2* Hate it. Clumsy clunky inefficient and frustrating. Just like the NHS in general ### 1/5 — Terrible *2024-12-03, version 3.14.2* Really bad experience with using this app. My GP told me I must book appointments through the app, yet I can’t even book one! I spent 15 minutes going for a very tedious chat bot just to be told they had ‘no routine appointments today’. I didn’t want an appointment today, I wanted to book it in advance. Which is not possible. Can’t say I’m surprised by the service ### 1/5 — Very poor app *2024-11-12, version 3.14.2* This is not a particularly user friendly app and it’s impossible to ask a question if the option for that query is not listed ### 1/5 — Terrible app *2024-11-07, version 3.14.2* Can’t find anything you want to do, the navigation is terrible, having to go into a chatbot mode for every section is a total waste of time and so patronising. ### 4/5 — Great for some things, ineffective for others *2024-10-24, version 3.14.2* I pressed 3 stars but the APP is showing 4!! For some tasks and if you are tech savvy the First Ask is excellent and time saving. However for others or for anyone unable to navigate technology or Apps, it’s so frustrating. I have recently tried to obtain more meditation because my condition has not improved and I was running out. I decided to try using the APP, because getting through to my local gp’s is near on impossible for anyone with a busy life/ work etc. I went around in circles and wasn’t confident that I had successfully ordered medication. I hadn’t. I got referred back to my gp!! It’s ok but for sure not a replacement for the right to speak to a professional. ### 3/5 — This is useful but too long to book. *2024-10-14, version 3.14.2* Useful but too long to book an appointment. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Very limited, slightly worrying *2026-01-18, version 4.0.0* This app seems to be aimed at assessing your need for immediate, urgent treatment, and not toward helping you get answers, even preliminary. More worrying, however, the app has not calculated my age correctly. I checked and triple checked I’d inputted my birthdate correctly, and nevertheless the app has decided I’m two years younger than I am - makes me doubt pretty much everything it says. ### 1/5 — Why do I have to down load this *2025-11-07, version 3.14.2* Why do I have to download a whole app so I can talk to an ai bot that does not help at all and I end up having to call my go anyway ### 1/5 — Infuriating *2025-11-01, version 3.14.2* Won’t let me log in with my NHS credentials, won’t recognise my Ask First username & password , won’t send a forgot password link. Useless. ### 1/5 — Waste of time *2025-10-06, version 3.14.2* I have to use this app because my GP is never available. Every time I use it the app either tells me my condition is not urgent but offers no diagnosis, or it offers to get a GP appointment for me and fails miserably. It’s this app that causes everyone to use A & E. ### 1/5 — Terrible software *2025-06-07, version 3.14.2* Awful piece of technology. Mostly when you encounter a chat or this bad you can opt to speak to an adviser (human being) to sort its inadequacies. This thing has no such function. You end up in a doom loop in a system designed to prevent you from seeing a medical professional. It’s dangerous. Probably costing the NHS a fortune too. ### 1/5 — Too generic *2025-05-14, version 3.14.2* My local GP doesn’t even put me on hold just tells me to hang up and use this app. The app is way too generic and also glitched so once I’d spent about 5 minutes putting in my details multiple times it would always glitch before I could complete ### 1/5 — Why can’t this cope if you have twins? *2025-04-30, version 3.14.2* Totally uninclusive design that can’t cope if same dob at same address. Appalling. Sort it out. Causes undue admin and faff with drs surgery and will be forever having to explain why I can’t use the app to book appointments for my twin sons. Excludes, confuses and intimidates already overwhelmed parents of twins who are more likely to need medical care as small children. Not acceptable. ### 1/5 — Long winded way to nit book appointments *2025-04-14, version 3.14.2* Tried to book an appointment about 15 times and it keeps failing. Not only is the app repetitive and long-winded, it suffers from latency issues at the end of which the app fails to book appointments. Useless ### 1/5 — Does not work *2025-03-13, version 3.14.2* Useless app. Never works and get told I have to phone the GP but can’t do that from the app as the number is not saved. Their tech support is useless too. ### 1/5 — A shame *2025-02-24, version 3.14.2* This app is a humiliation to an intelligent human being, capable of distinguishing between their toes and their ears. It’s incredibly unnecessary, too much, to irrelevant while the most basic things are done in the most confusing ways possible, leading to no success. Particularly demoralizing is that talking head of a person as if the app was made in 1998, while similar apps use neural networks and smart chats, this one animate the useless head of a useless entity that is anything but helpful. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Appt booking *2025-05-26, version 3.14.2* Excellent app for booking appointments. Extremely user friendly. ### 5/5 — Easy to use *2025-05-14, version 3.14.2* Easier to use than NHS app as one can book a blood test ### 5/5 — Appointments *2025-01-27, version 3.14.2* This app is helpful. Would recommend. ### 5/5 — User Friendly *2024-11-20, version 3.14.2* Good easy to use app which streamlines things for sure - much easier this way definitely ### 5/5 — Second time of using *2024-11-08, version 3.14.2* Very easy to use, very quick response from surgery ### 5/5 — Easy to use! *2024-09-04, version 3.14.2* Easy to follow and use, saves time in long run. ### 5/5 — Quick and efficient *2024-08-30, version 3.14.2* Found it very user friendly for non urgent appointments ### 5/5 — Booking appointment *2024-08-08, version 3.14.2* Easy to use and efficient and nice to see lots of appointments available ### 5/5 — Booking an appointment *2024-07-29, version 3.14.2* I am grateful for this app. Being a very busy mum plus working full time, the app allows me the flexibility to book an appointment quickly and sufficiently without ringing the surgery. I am always able to book face to face visit that suits my schedule. Plus side, there is lots of appointments available. ### 5/5 — Efficient *2024-07-25, version 3.14.2* Quick to use and easy to navigate; got a same day appointment with GP. Quicker than phoning surgery. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-11.*