New NHS online hospital: How will it work and the nine common conditions it will treat
The new NHS Online hospital will allow patients to be seen much more quickly 🏥
- Patients will be seen faster by specialists under the new NHS Online hospital.
- Nine common conditions will be treated initially.
- Patients will be able to connect to specialists online across England.
The new NHS Online hospital will provide faster access to specialist care for nine common conditions.
The service will allow patients to be triaged quickly through the NHS App and speak to doctors via video consultation in a bid to cut down waiting lists and unnecessary trips to the hospital.
NHS Online will allow patients to be seen much more quickly by digitally connecting them to expert clinicians across England, no matter where they are in the country. Patients will always have the option of in-person appointments.
Professor Stella Vig, National Clinical Director for Elective Care at NHS England, said: “The NHS’s new online hospital will see a huge shift in the way we deliver care, giving patients the option to have an online appointment with a specialist anywhere in England.
“We’ve selected nine common conditions which the NHS Online service will initially provide support for when it launches next year, including some women’s health issues as well as prostate problems.
“We know that these conditions can be painful and difficult to cope with, so providing faster, more convenient access to diagnosis and treatments will have a real and positive impact on people’s lives.”
When will the NHS online hospital be available?
NHS Online, will be available to patients across England in 2027.
What are the nine conditions it will treat?
There are nine common conditions that patients will be able to make an online appointment with a specialist anywhere in England using the online hospital.
Women’s health issues, including severe menopause symptoms and menstrual problems that can be a sign of endometriosis or fibroids, will be among the conditions available for online referrals.
Prostate problems like prostate enlargement and a raised prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level will also be covered by the service, along with eye conditions including cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration.
The nine conditions are:
- Severe menopause symptoms
- Menstrual problems, which may be a sign of endometriosis
- Enlarged prostate
- Raised prostate-specific antigen levels
- Glaucoma
- Cataracts
- Conditions affecting the retina (including age-related macular degeneration)
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Iron deficiency anaemia
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “We’ve already made big changes in the NHS, but building a health service that’s fit for the future requires more than just evolution – it demands revolution.
“NHS Online will make accessing healthcare as simple as ordering a cab or a takeaway – fundamentally changing how people interact with the NHS for generations to come.
“People with the nine conditions we’re announcing today face some of the longest waits, ensuring they’re seen on time again as we shift the NHS from analogue to digital.”
The NHS is changing to meet the growing demand of patients. You can find out more information about NHS Online at NHS England.