Publish date: 6 October 2025
A new online hospital - NHS Online - is being set up to transform the way patients access specialist care, from 2027. The innovative service will not have a physical site, instead connecting expert clinicians to patients in England. Patients can choose to be referred to NHS Online by their GP and will be able to see specialists, track their prescription and get advice on their condition, without waiting for a face-to-face appointment.
NHS Online will deliver up to 8.5 million appointments in its first three years, focusing initially on specialties with the longest waits. This national service scales up the success of Trusts already delivering care in this way. It will be built in partnership with patients to improve choice, reduce inequity and speed up access and we will work with clinical staff and their union representatives on how best to deliver this new model of care.
