A new “online hospital” being rolled out next year will initially provide support for nine common conditions, including prostate problems, menopause and eyesight.
Sir Keir Starmer announced NHS Online last year, saying a “new world is coming”.
Following a referral from their GP, patients will be able to use the NHS app for a video consultation with specialists around the country.
NHS England announced the first conditions managed by the service will include women’s health issues such as severe menopausal symptoms and symptoms of endometriosis or fibroids.
Prostate enlargement and a raised prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level – a possible sign of prostate cancer – will also be covered by the service, alongside eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration.
People with iron deficiency anaemia and inflammatory bowel disease may also get help through the service.
The idea is that NHS Online will drive down waiting lists and speed up care, allowing people to speak to doctors without leaving their home or having to wait for an in-person appointment.
Patients will be given the option of using NHS Online when their GP makes a referral, though they can opt for an in-person appointment if they prefer.
Tests, scans and procedures will continue to take place at sites close to people’s homes, though people can have ongoing monitoring through the app.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said 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.”
Professor Stella Vig, national clinical director for elective care at NHS England, said: “The NHS’s new online hospital will see a huge shift in the way we deliver care, giving patients the option to have an online appointment with a specialist anywhere in England.
“We’ve selected nine common conditions which the NHS Online service will initially provide support for when it launches next year, including some women’s health issues as well as prostate problems.
“We know that these conditions can be painful and difficult to cope with so providing faster, more convenient access to diagnosis and treatments will have a real and positive impact on people’s lives.”
Dr Sue Mann, national clinical director in women’s health at NHS England, said: “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 with their daily lives.”
It comes as data shows the NHS managed to keep 94.7 per cent of planned routine care going during the five days of strike action by resident doctors between December 17 and 22.
There were, on average, 19,120 resident doctors absent from work each day, which is slightly higher than the 17,236 average in the last set of strikes in November.
In a letter to NHS workers, NHS chief executive Sir Jim Mackey praised staff for hitting a target of having less than 80 per cent of hospital beds filled on Christmas Day, freeing up beds for other people in need.
There were more than 5,000 fewer patients in hospital this Christmas Day compared to Christmas Day last year, according to the data.
Mr Streeting said: “NHS staff worked tirelessly during the BMA’s latest round of strikes to keep the show on the road.
“Despite battling through the double whammy of a flu epidemic during industrial action, almost 95 per cent planned care was delivered – similar to during November strikes and surpassing the 93 per cent protected during action in July.
“With hospital bed occupancy lower than this time last year and ambulance handover performance improving, I am deeply grateful to everyone in the NHS who has stepped up to make sure patients are getting the care they need during a difficult winter, as well as join our push to modernise and improve the service for the long term.
“But, with bitterly cold weather creating new challenges for the health service this week, there is still a long way to go and the hard graft doesn’t stop here.
“I’m determined to resolve the BMA resident doctor disputes this year for the sake of patients, staff and the whole NHS. My door is open – as it always has been – to the BMA.
“In 2026, let’s start with a clean slate and work together to improve working conditions for doctors, cut waiting lists, and build an NHS fit for the future.”
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