Prime Minister Keir Starmer will unveil plans for a groundbreaking online hospital as part of his speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. The initiative, branded NHS Online, aims to deliver millions of extra appointments and significantly reduce waiting times by harnessing digital technology.
Set to launch in 2027, the service will connect patients directly to specialist clinicians via the NHS app. According to government estimates, NHS Online could facilitate up to 8.5 million additional appointments in its first three years.
In his speech, Starmer is expected to declare, “A new world is coming,” and describe the move as a pivotal moment in the transformation of the health service. “In decades to come, I want people to look back on this moment as the moment we renewed the NHS for a new world,” he will say.
The online hospital will give patients the choice between digital services and their local hospitals. Through the NHS app, patients will be able to access and track prescriptions, receive referrals for scans and diagnostic tests, get clinical advice for managing health conditions, book physical procedures at nearby hospitals, surgical hubs, or community diagnostic centres.
Health Secretary, Wes Streeting highlighted the early success of similar pilot programmes already running in parts of the NHS, where patients are being triaged within 48 hours.
Speaking to the media, he explained, “When you’re trying to book a GP appointment via the app, it might identify that you’re eligible for the online hospital and direct you there.”
He emphasised that the 2027 launch date ensures time to properly test and secure the system. “We’ve got to make sure it’s tested. We’ve got to make sure it’s safe,” he said, adding that digital consultations offer flexibility for people who prefer not to take time off work.
Starmer will position NHS Online as part of a broader commitment to modernise and renew the NHS, saying: “Waiting times cut for every single person in this country. That’s national renewal. That’s Britain built for all.”
He will also acknowledge the dedication of NHS workers, many of whom are in his own family, while stressing Labour’s duty to not only celebrate the NHS, but to improve it. “The responsibility of this party is not just to celebrate the NHS, it’s to make it better,” he will say.
Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive of NHS Providers, welcomed the initiative as bold and exciting, but cautioned that its success must not come at the expense of essential existing services. “The benefits should not come at the cost of destabilising vital services patients will continue to rely on,” he warned.
Meanwhile, Streeting firmly denied recent reports that the government was considering adding VAT to private healthcare, calling the idea a non-starter. “No, and the government won’t be doing it,” he said.
