Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will pledge the creation of a new NHS online hospital service in England by 2027, designed to ease pressure on the health service and cut waiting lists.
The digital platform, to be known as NHS Online, will offer patients assessments, consultant check-ups and follow-up appointments without the need to attend hospital in person. The initiative will be announced during the Labour Party’s annual conference.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting told BBC Breakfast he was “really excited” about the project, describing it as “about modernising the NHS, helping it move with the times”.
How the Service Will Work
NHS Online will be accessible through the existing NHS app and staffed by its own dedicated doctors. Patients will also be able to book scans, tests and procedures at community diagnostic centres directly through the service.
The rollout will prioritise specialisms with large numbers of patients who rarely need inpatient care, such as ophthalmology, gynaecology and digestive conditions. NHS England said safety will be the key criterion in determining which areas can move online.
Ministers expect the system to deliver up to 8.5 million appointments in its first three years — four times more than an average NHS trust.
Building on Existing Pilots
The initiative builds on pilots already tested in parts of the NHS.
At University Hospital Southampton, a virtual follow-up programme for low-risk inflammatory bowel disease patients reduced waiting times by 58%, with three-quarters of cases managed remotely.
At Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, a virtual triage system for non-emergency eye referrals diverted more than half of patients to routine clinics, easing demand for specialist services.
Sir Jim Mackey, NHS England’s chief executive, said the programme would “deliver millions more appointments by the end of the decade, offering a real alternative for patients and more control over their own care”.
Caution Over Implementation
While welcomed by many, experts say the service raises questions.
Daniel Elkeles of NHS Providers called it “a very significant development” but urged careful planning, citing risks of “digital exclusion” and challenges around patient data.
Dr Becks Fisher of the Nuffield Trust described it as an “interesting experiment” but warned: “Where will the doctors and nurses for this service be taken from? And how will patients be safely moved from digital to physical services when needed?”
Wider Push for Digital NHS
The online hospital is part of Labour’s broader plan to modernise healthcare. It comes alongside the rollout of a new online GP booking system, allowing patients to request same-day appointments digitally, aimed at ending the so-called “8am scramble”.
Streeting said: “If we don’t change with the times, the NHS will become less relevant as well as less accessible to the public.”
