Moving to NHS Online: learn more about how it will affect your care
What is NHS Online?
The Government has ambitious plans for a new service called NHS Online. They say the new 'online NHS hospital' will allow patients to be triaged quickly through the NHS App, speak to doctors via video consultation, and be monitored in the comfort of their home, saving unnecessary trips to the hospital.
NHS Online will see its first patients in 2027.
Patients will also be able to receive test results and advice from specialists.
NHS Online would not replace face‑to‑face care. It would be an extra option for people who want it and where it is safe to do so.
At first, NHS Online would focus on these treatment areas with long waiting times:
- Gastroenterology, such as inflammatory bowel disease.
- Prostate problems like prostate enlargement and a raised prostate specific antigen (PSA) level.
- Women’s health issues including severe menopause symptoms, and menstrual problems that can be a sign of endometriosis or fibroids.
- Eye care (ophthalmology), including cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.
So, if you possibly have one of these conditions, you will able to get an online referrals. More areas may be added later.
The Government say that NHS Online will:
- Reduce waiting times for people and improve access to specialist clinicians, when we need them;
- Improve communication with patients when they need a range of different services e.g. tests, diagnostics, advice and guidance;
- Provide more care closer to people’s homes, reducing unnecessary travel for patients.
Patients will have the option of using NHS Online when their GP makes a referral for specialist care. Instead of having a physical site, patients will be able to receive care from doctors around the country directly through the NHS App – without leaving their home or having to wait longer for an in-person appointment.
Tests, scans or procedures will continue to take place at healthcare sites closer to patients’ homes, while clinicians will be able to review their notes remotely. It is hoped that this will streamline the process and allow patients to move quickly from referral to treatment to follow-up care.
What do you think about the plans for NHS Online?
We'd like to hear about your experiences of using online healthcare services generally, and we're asking you how you think this will affect your healthcare. What are the positives? What are your worries about NHS Online?
We will share everything you tell us directly with Government.
Image credit: Ageing without Limits
