Crohn’s and Colitis included in new NHS Online Hospital plans

People living with Crohn’s and Colitis are set to be among the first to have the option of accessing a new NHS Online Hospital, following an announcement from NHS England today.

The service is being developed to help address rising elective care waiting lists in England by using digital options to connect patients more quickly with specialist clinicians. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is one of nine conditions initially prioritised.

The NHS Online Hospital is expected to see its first patients in 2027.

What is the NHS Online Hospital?

It’s a new virtual provider of planned care, delivered through the NHS App. It will not have a physical hospital site but will instead connect patients with specialist clinicians from across England online.

When a GP refers someone for specialist care, patients may be offered the option to use the NHS Online Hospital. Through the NHS App, patients will then be able to book appointments to see consultants from around the country, online - without leaving their home or potentially waiting longer for a face-to-face appointment.

If tests, scans or procedures such as endoscopy or surgery are needed, these will still take place at hospitals or diagnostic centres. Results will then be shared back with the NHS Online Hospital so that ongoing care and follow-up can continue digitally. Patients will also be able to track their prescriptions and get advice on managing their condition from the comfort of their home.

Crucially, NHS England says the new model will not replace in-person care. Patients will always have the option to continue with a traditional referral and face-to-face care if they prefer or if it is clinically needed. People will be able to opt out of the NHS Online Hospital at any time, and it aims to give patients choice and speed up referral times.

What does this mean for people with Crohn’s or Colitis?

The inclusion of IBD in the early plans for the NHS Online Hospital is significant: we know that so many people living with Crohn’s and Colitis face long waits for outpatient appointments, difficulty accessing specialist teams, and variation in care depending on where you live. NHS England has said that digitally connecting patients to specialist clinicians across the country could help reduce waiting times and improve access to expertise.

Patients can be matched to clinicians based on availability rather than proximity. Crohn’s & Colitis UK already works closely with NHS services, like University Hospital Southampton, who currently use digital tools to support people with IBD. This includes virtual follow-ups for patients with low-risk flare-ups. NHS England has highlighted examples where these approaches have reduced waiting times and unnecessary hospital visits. So, we are hopeful that effective examples can be shared across England.

What Crohn’s & Colitis UK will be looking for?

Since the publication of the NHS 10 Year Plan last year, we have been calling for better use of digital tools to improve access to care, coordination between services, and communication for people living with long-term conditions like Crohn’s and Colitis.

We’ve been clear that this technology should make it easier for people to get the right support at the right time, reduce unnecessary admin, and help services work together more effectively.

For NHS Online hospitals to be a success we need to see:

• Strong clinical safety and accountability: with clear responsibility for decisions and outcomes.
• Continuity of care: we know how often you have to tell your story over and over again. Any new digital pathway needs to work with local IBD teams rather than fragmenting care any further.
• Resource and support for the IBD workforce: IBD teams are already under significant pressure and need more resource to support patients.
• Meaningful patient choice: people shouldn’t be pressured into going virtual, the ability to opt in or out easily should be clear and shouldn’t disadvantage your care. Some people don’t have digital access.

Crohn’s and Colitis are a complex, lifelong conditions, and not all care can or should be delivered online. It is essential that digital options enhance care rather than fragment it or create new barriers.

What happens next?

NHS England has said the NHS Online Hospital will continue to be developed throughout 2026, with further detail on pathways and conditions expected ahead of its launch in 2027.

We will be engaging with NHS England to understand more about what this new service will mean for people with Crohn’s and Colitis, and to ensure that the voices and experiences of people living with IBD are reflected in how it is designed.

We’ll make sure our community stays updated: as soon as we know more, we’ll share it with you and let you know what these announcements mean for everyone living with Crohn’s and Colitis.