An online NHS hospital will launch in England within two years to help cut waiting times, according to the UK government.
The NHS Online service – due to be announced at the Labour Party conference today by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer – aims to digitally connect patients to clinicians around the country, allowing appointments to be carried out virtually.
NHS England said that the launch of the service in 2027 will mean that patients will be seen faster, predicting that it will provide up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years, which is around four times more than an average NHS trust.
The idea is that people will be triaged through the NHS App, book any scans, tests, or procedures needed at the network of community diagnostic hubs that is being expanded by the government, and see consultants in their own homes via online consultations. A key objective is to reduce variations in care and inequalities so that “the same high-quality care [is] available to everyone regardless of postcode.”
The text of Starmer’s address today indicates he will call the announcement of the new service “the moment we renewed the NHS for a new world. Waiting times cut for every single person in this country. That’s national renewal, that’s a Britain built for all.”
The service is a key part of the government’s plan to shift care from analogue to digital under the NHS 10 Year Plan, which also calls for a greater emphasis on prevention, rather than treatment, and a shift towards delivering care in the community, rather than at hospitals.
NHS England said the initial focus will be on a small number of clinical areas that currently have the longest waiting times and are appropriate for an online-only approach, which could include ophthalmology, gynaecology, and gastrointestinal conditions.
“Over time, this will be expanded to more treatment areas,” it said, while stressing that treatment areas will only be offered “if the NHS knows […] it is clinically safe to do so remotely.”
The service will draw on existing research on patient experience of online care over the last five years, including the use of the NHS App to book appointments, AI, and remote monitoring.
“NHS Online is a promising step towards enhancing accessible care and shorter waits for digitally confident patients. This model has real potential to cut waiting times and connect patients with expert care more quickly,” commented Rachel Power, chief executive of The Patient’s Association.
“We’re pleased to see patient partnership built into the programme and it will be vital that patients shape the design and delivery of this online hospital,” she added.
“While this initiative will take time to implement properly, it represents an important investment in the NHS’s future capacity alongside high-quality, in-person care.”
