The NHS has announced it’s ‘online hospital’ service will initially focus on prostate, menopause and eye conditions when it launches in 2027.
In September 2025, the government announced NHS Online – a new service within the NHS App that allows patients to receive assessments, check-ups and follow-up appointments digitally.
The service, which will have its own dedicated team of doctors, has been designed to cut wait times. The aim is to carry out 8.5 million appointments within the first three years – four times higher than the average NHS trust.
Today (6th January), the NHS confirmed that nine conditions will be prioritised when the service launches next year. These include:
- Cataracts
- Inflammatory bowl disease
- Glaucoma
- Iron deficiency anaemia
- Conditions that affect the retina at the back of the eye (including age-related macular degeneration)
- Prostate enlargement
- Menopause
- Raised PSA levels (not cancer diagnosis)
- Menstrual problems which may be a sign of endometriosis
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: ‘We’ve already made big changes in the NHS, but building a health service that’s fit for the future requires more than just evolution – it demands revolution.
‘NHS Online will make accessing healthcare as simple as ordering a cab or a takeaway – fundamentally changing how people interact with the NHS for generations to come. People with the nine conditions we’re announcing today face some of the longest waits, ensuring they’re seen on time again as we shift the NHS from analogue to digital.’
However, NHS England said patients will be able to use NHS Online when referred by their GP, or choose to attend an in-person appointment.
What’s more, tests, scans or procedures that need to take place at healthcare sites will continue to do so.
Dr Sue Mann, national clinical director in women’s health at NHS England, added: ‘Menstrual problems, that can be caused by conditions such as endometriosis or fibroids, or menopause symptoms can affect every part of a woman’s life, so it’s essential that the NHS provides better access to effective treatments more quickly.
‘NHS Online will make it easier for women to see a consultant from their own home without having to face a long wait for an in-person appointment, meaning they can get on wit their daily lives.’
Image: Shutterstock
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