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The National Health Service (NHS) in England is rolling out a new “online hospital” next year, aiming to dramatically expand access to care-and it’s starting with a focus on conditions many patients struggle to get timely diagnoses for: menopause, prostate issues, and eye diseases.
NHS goes digital: Faster Access, But Questions Remain
The NHS’s ambitious plan to deliver specialist care online could reshape healthcare access, but staffing and funding are key concerns.
- The NHS online hospital will initially prioritize nine conditions, with plans to expand the list.
- The service aims to handle 8.5 million appointments in its first three years, exceeding the capacity of many traditional trusts.
- Patients will still have the option of face-to-face appointments; the online service is designed as an additional choice.
- Experts are raising questions about the practicalities of staffing and funding this large-scale digital shift.
The NHS has selected a total of nine conditions for this initial rollout, which will be accessible through the NHS app starting in 2027. The service, first announced in September, will allow patients to receive assessments, check-ups, and follow-up care online, supported by a dedicated team of doctors. The goal is ambitious: to conduct 8.5 million appointments within the first three years-a figure four times greater than the average NHS
