Patients across England can expect some major changes as the NHS is due to roll out a new specialist care system. NHS Online is set to launch in 2027.
The digital scheme will feature its own dedicated doctors who can provide care for patients choosing to utilise the service.
Assessments, consultations with specialists, and follow-up appointments can all be conducted online.
On social media platform X, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) shared further details about NHS Online, which were reposted by the official NHS account.
It asaid: “Introducing NHS Online. A new digital hospital will transform healthcare.”
The DHSC stated that “from 2027”, individuals will be able to access specialist care:
- Straight to your home via the NHS App
- Faster than a traditional hospital appointment
- Wherever you live in England
The department provided an example of how this could function for a patient. “A patient has problems with their eyesight but finds going to hospital hard because they care for someone, which makes travel tricky,” the DHSC explained.
“At the optician, test results show something might be wrong. The patient can choose to go to hospital or use NHS Online. With assistance, the patient sets up the NHS app. They receive a message to say they are now under NHS Online care.
“A specialist doctor working for NHS Online reviews the patient’s test results and diagnoses mild glaucoma. The patient gets prescribed specialist eye drops through the NHS app. Their GP record updates automatically.”
Speaking about NHS Online, Health Secretary Wes Streeting previously expressed his enthusiasm on BBC Breakfast, stating he was “really excited” about a new virtual hospital that has already “been proven to work” in certain hospitals, including University Hospital Southampton and Moorfields.
“It’s basically about modernising the NHS, helping it to move with the times,” he said. The system can also be utilised to book a scan, test or procedure at a local community diagnostic centre, if required.
However, NHS England clarified that only those areas where an online service is deemed safe will be included in the new offer. Ministers assert it will deliver up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years.
The NHS app, which will serve as the access point for NHS online, is already available on smartphones, tablets and computers to anyone who is registered with a GP surgery in England and aged 13 or over.
Currently, it can be used to order repeat prescriptions, book and manage appointments, obtain health information and advice, view your health record securely, and view your NHS number.
For more information, visit the NHS website here.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
