At home tests for liver function, cholesterol, sexually transmitted diseases and prostate cancer could be available to order via the NHS app under plans to speed up diagnosis.
If it goes ahead, the plans would allow people to order tests in seven specialities, complete them and receive results using the NHS app.
However, nothing has yet been confirmed and eligibility for home tests has yet to be determined, with the service most likely to be gradually introduced.
The HomeTest service could also see checks for rheumatology, women with fertility issues or menstrual problems and blood tests for the antibiotic-resistant superbug MRSA.
It could also be used for Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood checks, which test for elevated protein levels to monitor people who are being treated for prostate cancer.
Although no commitment has been made to specific conditions or national introduction, several are being explored and the NHS has “aspirations” of launching a basic version of the programme from April, according to the Health Service Journal.
It’s hoped the move will make it easier to access basic checks and for patients to monitor their health without visiting the GP.
The plans could also help those with chronic conditions who need blood tests.
“We want to give patients more control over their own healthcare. Home testing has real potential to make diagnosis faster and more convenient,” Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the Telegraph.
He stressed that getting tested shouldn’t mean patients have to take time off work or travel and should be as easy as picking up a phone.
Mr Streeting explained the service will build on what is already offered for HIV and bowel cancer and expand it to more patients.
The health secretary said the NHS app will become “a doctor in your pocket”. But experts say efforts will need to be made to avoid creating a two-tier service, as some people may not be able to or choose not to use the app.
The at-home tests are in line with Labour’s 10-year health plan for more patients to directly access diagnostic services. The plan sets out how it aims, by 2029, for 92 per cent of patients to have a diagnostic test, outpatient appointment or operation within 18 weeks of a GP referral - a target the NHS has not met for the past 10 years.
The NHS announced late last year that patients across England will gain direct access to specialist care via the NHS App to streamline healthcare and ease pressure on hospitals.
This initiative, encompassing 45 pilots across 37 trusts, is projected by the government to free up 500,000 hospital appointments annually once fully implemented.
Officials believe allowing patients to self-report vital health data, such as blood pressure and oxygen levels, through technology could significantly reduce strain on the health service.
The Department of Health and Social Care has been contacted for a comment.
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