The NHS is setting up an ‘online hospital’ – NHS Online – in a significant reform to the way healthcare is delivered in England.

The innovative new model of care will not have a physical site, instead digitally connecting patients to expert clinicians anywhere in England. The first patients will be able to use the service from 2027.

That means patients can be seen faster, as teams triage them quickly through the NHS App and let them book in scans at times that suit them at Community Diagnostic Centres closer to home.

When a patient has an appointment with their GP,  they will have the option of being referred to the online hospital for their specialist care. They will then be able to book directly through the NHS App and have the ability to see specialists from around the country online without leaving their home or having to wait longer for a face-to-face appointment.

If they need a scan, test or procedure, they’ll be able to book this in at a time that suits them at Community Diagnostic Centres closer to home. They’ll be able to track their prescriptions and get advice on managing their condition from the comfort of their home.

NHS Online will provide a huge boost to patient waiting times, delivering the equivalent of up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years – four times more than an average trust – while enhancing patient choice and control over their care.

Initially the focus will be on a small number of planned treatment areas with the longest waits. Over time this will be expanded to more treatment areas. Treatment areas will only be offered if the NHS knows it is it is clinically safe to do so remotely.

The 10 Year Health Plan will shift the NHS from analogue to digital and this is a bold new way of delivering care while embracing new tech, built on NHS values.

In the first instance, the service will build and scale tried-and-tested innovations already in place across the country such as AI and remote monitoring, with millions of patients already accessing online appointments and using the NHS App to manage their care.

Before NHS Online goes live, the NHS will learn from existing research on patient experience of online care over the last five years and build it into the programme as it develops. The programme is being developed with a commitment to patient partnership in design and delivery.

Connecting patients with specialists across the country means the same high-quality care available to everyone regardless of postcode, helping to reduce variation and inequalities. It will also help to spread out demand, with patients no longer held back by long local waiting lists.

Doctors will have new levels of flexibility, managing their time in a way that works better for them and their patients. NHS England and DHSC will work with clinical staff and their union representatives on how best to deliver this new model of care.

Sir Jim Mackey, NHS chief executive, said: “This is a huge step forward for the NHS and will deliver millions more appointments by the end of the decade, offering a real alternative for patients and more control over their own care.

“Patients who choose to receive their treatment through the online hospital will benefit from us industrialising the latest technology and innovations, while the increased capacity will help to cut demand and slash waiting times.

“The NHS can, must and will move forward to match other sectors in offering digital services that make services as personalised, convenient, and flexible as possible for both staff and patients.”

Jacob Lant, CEO of National Voices, said: “The NHS aims to provide free and universal healthcare, but at the moment there are plenty of people who don’t have easy access to specialist hospital care simply because of where they live in the country.

“The creation of an online hospital has the potential to fix this basic barrier, and by building on the wealth of patient feedback about the roll out of existing digital NHS services, there is a chance to build something genuinely transformational.

“The new service will need to dock in seamlessly with physical services for when people need tests and treatment, and it can do this by making sure patients are fully included in both the design and ongoing evaluation.

“The NHS will need to be live to the risk of digital exclusion, ensuring that people without access to technology or the right skills are supported to get the help they need. But get this right, and it could unlock vital extra capacity that benefits all patients.”

Rachel Power, Chief Executive of The Patient’s Association, said: “NHS Online is a promising step towards enhancing accessible care and shorter waits for digitally confident patients. This model has real potential to cut waiting times and connect patients with expert care more quickly.

“We’re pleased to see patient partnership built into the programme and it will be vital that patients shape the design and delivery of this online hospital. While this initiative will take time to implement properly, it represents an important investment in the NHS’s future capacity alongside high-quality, in-person care.”

Louise Ansari, Chief Executive of Healthwatch England, said: ‘We welcome this model which offers the prospect of patient referrals being triaged more quickly and some patients getting scans and diagnostic tests sooner.

‘It is also welcome that government has committed to working with Healthwatch and patient groups on its delivery.

‘It will be key, for example, that all patients have an equal opportunity to benefit, not just those who are tech-savvy.  The public will need clear communication about how to benefit and access from this scheme – including support, if required, to sign up to and use the NHS App. And digitally excluded people will need reassurances that their local physical hospital remains a good option for their care.’

Dr Jeanette Dickson, Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges said: “This is a novel and potentially game changing way of improving equity and speed of access to NHS services, which would reduce health inequalities.

“Obviously, we need to make sure that those who aren’t digitally enabled are not penalised in any way, but if this approach can be delivered safely and effectively, freeing up capacity in bricks and mortar hospitals at the same time then it could potentially be a really good thing.’

Rosie Beacon, Re:State Head of Health, said: “Re:State welcomes the announcement to open an entirely virtual hospital, NHS Online. This is exactly the sort of game-changing reform the NHS needs.

“Virtual hospitals will mean shorter waits, quicker treatment and smarter spending and will help slash the elective backlog. NHS Online serves to reinforce the NHS’s long held legacy as a world leader in care innovation.”