Patients will be able to access video consultations with specialists around the country for prostate, menopause or eyesight problems through new NHS Online hospitals
22:30, 05 Jan 2026Updated 09:56, 06 Jan 2026
Patients will be able to get specialist care for prostate, menopause or eyesight problems through new NHS Online hospitals.
Following referral from their GP, people will be able to speak to specialists through a video consultation using the NHS app.
The move is expected to speed up access to specialist care and help cut waiting lists, with patients able to speak to available doctors around the country and skip unnecessary trips to the hospital.
Keir Starmer declared a "new world is coming" as he unveiled the plans in his speech at September’s Labour conference. On Monday, the NHS announced nine common conditions will be the first to be treated by the NHS Online service, which will see its first patients next year.
Among them are women’s health issues including severe menopause symptoms and menstrual problems that can be a sign of endometriosis or fibroids.
Prostate problems like prostate enlargement and a raised prostate specific antigen (PSA) level will also be covered by the service, along with eye conditions including cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. NHS Online will also provide support for other painful and distressing conditions, such as iron deficiency anaemia and inflammatory bowel disease.
Tests, scans or procedures will continue to take place at healthcare sites closer to patients’ homes, but the new system will allow clinicians to review their notes remotely.
Patients will always have the option of face-to-face appointments and those who need physical examinations or procedures will continue to receive them either at hospital or local hubs nearby.
Speaking about the nine conditions, NHS England’s national clinical director for elective care Professor Stella Vig said: “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.”
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.”
The NHS App, which can already be downloaded on smartphones or tablets, allows patients to order repeat prescriptions, book and manage appointments or view GP health records.
List of conditions for NHS online in 2027:
- Glaucoma
- Medical retina (including age-related macular degeneration)
- Cataracts
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Iron deficiency anaemia
- Prostate enlargement
- Raised prostate specific antigen (PSA) level
- Menopause problems
- Menstrual problems (which may be a sign of conditions like endometriosis or fibroids)