The NHS will prioritise menopause and prostate problems in its new digital hospital service, giving patients faster access to specialist care via the NHS App and remote consultations when the service launches in 2027
The NHS has announced that menopause symptoms and prostate conditions will be top priorities for its revolutionary new online hospital, a digital service launching in 2027 to give patients faster specialist care through the NHS App and virtual consultations. The platform will initially cover nine common conditions: severe menopause symptoms, menstrual issues, prostate enlargement, elevated PSA levels, and five others, helping reduce waiting times and improve access across England.
Ending the NHS postcode lottery with online care
NHS Online harnesses digital technology to fundamentally change access to healthcare, creating a more personalised, convenient, and democratic environment. In-person appointments will remain available. NHS Online aims to end the postcode lottery of care and make getting treatment easier than ever, allowing patients to connect digitally with expert clinicians across England, no matter where they are.
The service is expected to deliver up to 8.5 million virtual appointments and assessments in its first three years, four times the average for an NHS trust.
NHS online will build upon tried-and-tested innovations, such as digital prescriptions and online test results.
Making women’s health a priority
Women’s health issues, including severe menopause and menstrual problems, as well as prostate problems such as prostate enlargement and eye conditions like glaucoma, will be among the first priorities for NHS Online. A total of nine conditions, including these, will be treated at launch.
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.”
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.”
Health and Social Care 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.”
