Would you use a national online hospital?

As part of its plans to reduce waiting times, the Government has suggested the development of a new NHS Trust, which will offer outpatient consultations online. Over three years, the Government hopes that an extra 8 million appointments will be available. Healthwatch services around England have been asked for their views. We act as your voice when changes are suggested to the NHS.

Starting with three specialties in 2027, patients will be able to choose an online consultation with a specialist in any part of the country. If blood tests or x-rays are needed, these can take place locally. The results can often be sent to the specialist before the appointment. Should an operation be needed, the patient can again choose which hospital would be most convenient for them.

To help us respond to the consultation, we asked local people for their views. We found that

• There seems to be general support for the introduction of NHS Online

• Avoiding the need to travel to a hospital and feeling more relaxed at home are seen as key benefits of an online outpatient appointment

• Men may be less inclined to use the service, as are older respondents and those who struggle to access information

• There are different priorities in terms of the information patients would need to make an informed choice - men have different questions compared to women, for example

We will share the findings of our survey with the Department of Health & Social Care, to help them develop their plans. You can read the full report below:

NHS Online.pptx

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