General
Who is the BNF and BNF for Children app for?
The app is for healthcare professionals working for the National Health Service in the UK, who need practical, independent and evidence-based medicines information. See Terms and Conditions for full details about who is eligible to download the app.
Can I use the app for commercial purposes?
If you wish to use BNF content (including the BNF & BNF for Children app) for commercial purposes, you will need a licence. For more information email opsteam@rpharms.com.
How do I update the app?
Clinical content is updated every month in line with other online updates to BNF Publications. Each month an updated version of the app, containing all BNF and BNF for Children content, is available to. The app will prompt you to download the new version when it becomes available. To remove the need to download updated content manually, use your device settings to automatically update the app every month.
How do I know when the content in the app was last updated?
The date of the last content update will be displayed on your app underneath the search bar of these sections: Drugs, Summaries, Medical Devices, Borderline Substances and Wound Care.
An ‘Updates’ date can also be found in the ‘About’ section of the app. This date reflects the last time the app was updated on your device. It does not represent the last time the clinical content was updated.
Use and navigation
How do I find the content I am looking for in the app?
BNF content includes drug monographs, treatment summaries, medical devices, borderline substances and wound care.
Use the search function or the A to Z list to browse each section, or to expand your search across all sections, underneath your search results select ‘Search the rest of the BNF app’.
How do I change between BNF and BNF for Children content?
You can switch between BNF and BNF for Children content by selecting the publication you would like to search; for this purpose, use the dropdown in the top right-hand corner of the app to move between publications. Your selected option will be remembered by the app until you change it.
From July 2020, BNF and BNF for Children content is colour-coded to aid navigation; blue represents adult and pink child content.
What is evidence grading and how do I switch it on?
Where possible, recommendations made in BNF publications have been evidence graded to reflect the strength of the recommendation. This feature aims to support clinical decision-making based on the best available evidence.
Evidence grading can be switched on or off within the content pages in the app. The option you choose is remembered by the app until you change it. When turned on, the evidence grades assigned to recommendations are displayed within the content.
Access
Who can download and access the app?
The BNF & BNF for Children app can be downloaded by healthcare professionals working for the NHS in the UK.
How do I find and download the app?
The App can be downloaded from the App Store® and Google Play.
Will I be able to download the app outside of the UK?
The app is currently only available in the UK.
Why do I have to register to use the app?
Our research has shown many users want quick access to BNF records they visit frequently. By introducing registration, we are now able to give users a more personalised experience for example through the new ‘Favourites’ feature. It also helps us to understand more about what types of professionals use the app and how they do so. This will allow us to continue to deliver improvements that benefit users.
Can I access the app without registering?
Registration will be optional for 30 days once the update is released. During this time you will be able to access the app as usual by selecting ‘Skip for now’ on the homepage. After 30 days, you will be required to register and log in to access the app.
Can I still access the app offline?
Yes, you can continue to access all content in the app, as well as favourite important records without internet access. Internet access is only required when registering or logging in, resetting your password, or downloading the latest version of the app.
How often do I have to login?
You will only need to login once per device. After this, you will remain logged into the app.
At registration I am told my email address is already registered, what should I do?
If your email address is already registered and you have forgotten your password, you can reset your password. If you are still unable to login or register, please contact pharmpress-support@rpharms.com.
Can I login to the app with the same credentials I use to access the BNF on MedicinesComplete?
No, the BNF app is a separate product to MedicinesComplete. To access the BNF app you must register as a new user, then login.
I have forgotten my password, how do I change it?
To change your password, you need to be logged out of the app and connected to the internet. Simply click the login button on the homepage, then select ‘Forgot password’ on the next page. Enter your email address and click ‘Reset password’. An email will be sent containing a link to change your password. For security reasons the password reset link will expire after 24 hours and can only be used once.
I have remembered my password, do I still need to change it?
Once you request to reset your password, your old password will no longer work. You should open the link in your email and click through to create a new password.
How do I change my account details?
If your job role has changed you can easily update it in ‘My account’, which can be found in the ‘More’ section of the app. Click into ‘My account’, select the most suitable job role from the drop-down list and click ‘Save changes’.
My email address has changed, how do I update it?
It is currently not possible to change the email address on your account. If your email address has changed, please delete your account and register again with your new email address.
How do I log out of the app?
To log out, go to the ‘More’ section of the app and click Logout. Please ensure you are connected to the internet so all your favourite records are stored until you log in next time.
How do you keep my data secure?
For detailed information on how your personal data is kept secure and processed only for the purpose for which it was collected please go to www.bnf.org/privacy-policy.
How do I delete my account?
To delete your account, go to the ‘More’ section of the app and click ‘My account’. Here you will see an option to delete your account. All information associated with your account will be permanently deleted.
Favourites
How do I favourite a record?
You can favourite records from any of the following sections in the app by clicking the star icon in the top right corner of the record: Drugs, Summaries, Medical devices, Borderline substances, Guidance, Wound care. You can access your favourite records in two ways: the ‘Favourites’ tab within each section of the app will list all favourited records within that section while ‘Favourites’ in the ‘More’ section will list all favourited records.
How do I remove a favourite record?
To remove any favourites either click the star icon again within the record, or swipe left on the record in your ‘Favourites’ tab.
I have logged into the app and can no longer see my favourite records
All favourited records are initially stored in the local storage of your device. Once every 24 hours, the information will be uploaded to the database. If you access the app from a different device before 24 hours you will not see new favourited records, however, they should all appear after the specified time period.
Technical details
Which mobile devices does the app support?
The app is available on iPhone® and iPad® (operating system 13.0 and above) and Android™ devices (operating system 7.0 and above).
For security purposes the BNF app does not support unbranded Android™ devices. For the best experience, accessing the BNF app using a device from a recognised brand, running the latest operating system version is recommended.
How do I report technical issues and feedback?
Use the ‘Get in Touch’ app function.
For technical queries, email pharmpress-support@rpharms.com with the details of the device and operating system used. To help us respond most effectively, relate your enquiry to the specific scenario you encountered.
For feedback and queries related to clinical content, please email editor@bnf.org. To help us respond most effectively, relate your enquiry to the specific scenario you encountered.
Acknowledgements
iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions
App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.
Android is a trademark of Google LLC.
Google Play is a trademark of Google LLC.