A groundbreaking NHS online hospital service will launch across England in 2027, offering virtual assessments and check ups for common conditions through the NHS App. Initially focusing on nine priority areas, the service aims to deliver 8.5m appointments in its first three years, four times the volume of an average NHS trust. Health leaders say it will speed up care while easing pressure on physical clinics.
The service targets conditions ripe for remote management: glaucoma, retinal disorders like age related macular degeneration, cataracts, inflammatory bowel disease, iron deficiency anaemia, prostate enlargement, raised PSA levels, menopause and menstrual issues potentially linked to endometriosis. Patients referred by GPs can opt in via the app, connecting them with a dedicated national team of specialists who review notes remotely. Any required tests, scans or procedures happen locally, preserving convenience.
For those not keen on using an app, face to face care remains fully available. However, UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasised broad benefits, noting that online users often get seen faster, freeing slots for those preferring in person visits. University Hospital Southampton already runs a virtual service for low-risk inflammatory bowel disease patients, managing 75 per cent remotely during flare ups, slashing routine appointments and cutting waiting times by 58 per cent.
London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital uses virtual triage for non-urgent referrals, diverting more than 50 per cent to routine clinics without specialist input. For eye consultant and digital clinician Peter Thomas, this system delivers faster care in appropriate settings and reduces system strain.
Professor Stella Vig, NHS England’s head of elective care, called it “a huge shift in the way we deliver care, giving patients the option to have an online appointment with a specialist anywhere in England.” She added 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.”
Despite some initial concerns around data security, digital exclusion, resources and funding, NHS England Chief Executive Sir Jim Mackey envisages the online rollout delivering millions more appointments by the end of the decade, aligning with the 10 year NHS plan. As patients and GPs alike become accustomed to the new system, the service promises modernised care without sidelining traditional options.