I must be honest that when I was alerted to this app, I initially thought it would be quite boring, and merely a marketing exercise for the giant hospital group.

But I downloaded it for free on my iPhone, and what I found was quite a good resource. Aside from being able to easily get contact details of Netcare hospitals and pharmacies, and Medicross Family Medical and Dental Centres, you can also locate any type of doctor you’re looking for around the country. The app can also direct you the hospitals via your GPS location. You can also contact emergency services from your phone.

Also useful is the first aid section which is easy to understand with info, photos and an audio clip.

A feature that I found a little complex, but which could be great if used well and communicated about to others and your doctor, is the Personal Emergency Actions. How it works is this: If you suffer from epilepsy, you can record necessary details, and a message for and contact details of the person you’d like to alert if you have a fit.

As a free app, you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain with first-aid resources and easy-to-access emergency contacts. Don’t expect an amazing layout or anything with frills – just a really good health resource.

The Netcare Assist app is available on iOS and Android.