The NHS is setting up an ‘online hospital’ – NHS Online – in a significant reform to the way healthcare is delivered in England.
The innovative new model of care will not have a physical site, instead digitally connecting patients to expert clinicians anywhere in England. The first patients will be able to use the service from 2027.
That means patients can be seen faster, as teams triage them quickly through the NHS App and let them book in scans at times that suit them at Community Diagnostic Centres closer to home.
When a patient has an appointment with their GP, they will have the option of being referred to the online hospital for their specialist care. They will then be able to book directly through the NHS App and have the ability to see specialists from around the country online without leaving their home or having to wait longer for a face-to-face appointment.
If they need a scan, test or procedure, they’ll be able to book this in at a time that suits them at Community Diagnostic Centres closer to home. They’ll be able to track their prescriptions and get advice on managing their condition from the comfort of their home.
NHS Online will provide a huge boost to patient waiting times, delivering the equivalent of up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years – four times more than an average trust – while enhancing patient choice and control over their care.
Initially the focus will be on a small number of planned treatment areas with the longest waits. Over time this will be expanded to more treatment areas. Treatment areas will only be offered if the NHS knows it is it is clinically safe to do so remotely.
The 10 Year Health Plan will shift the NHS from analogue to digital and this is a bold new way of delivering care while embracing new tech, built on NHS values.
In the first instance, the service will build and scale tried-and-tested innovations already in place across the country such as AI and remote monitoring, with millions of patients already accessing online appointments and using the NHS App to manage their care.
Before NHS Online goes live, the NHS will learn from existing research on patient experience of online care over the last five years and build it into the programme as it develops. The programme is being developed with a commitment to patient partnership in design and delivery.
Connecting patients with specialists across the country means the same high-quality care available to everyone regardless of postcode, helping to reduce variation and inequalities. It will also help to spread out demand, with patients no longer held back by long local waiting lists.
Doctors will have new levels of flexibility, managing their time in a way that works better for them and their patients. NHS England and DHSC will work with clinical staff and their union representatives on how best to deliver this new model of care.
Sir Jim Mackey, NHS chief executive, said: “This is a huge step forward for the NHS and will deliver millions more appointments by the end of the decade, offering a real alternative for patients and more control over their own care.
“Patients who choose to receive their treatment through the online hospital will benefit from us industrialising the latest technology and innovations, while the increased capacity will help to cut demand and slash waiting times.
“The NHS can, must and will move forward to match other sectors in offering digital services that make services as personalised, convenient, and flexible as possible for both staff and patients.”