England’s new national digital-first has appointed Dame Caroline Clarke as its first chief executive as work continues towards seeing patients from 2027.
NHS Online will give people referred for selected specialist care the option of video consultations and digital management through the NHS App, while scans and procedures that require a physical visit will still happen locally.
The service is expected to deliver up to 8.5 million virtual appointments and assessments during its first three years. Conditions initially planned for the service include menopause and prostate problems, recurring urinary tract infections and iron-deficiency anaemia.
Face-to-face care will remain available for people who need or prefer it. The promise of the new trust is not a hospital squeezed into a phone, but fewer unnecessary journeys and better use of specialist capacity around the country.