Written by the AccessGP Team, reviewed by Dr Zamiel Hussain, Lead GP
NHS England has announced plans to prioritise menopause and prostate conditions within its new online hospital model. This reflects growing recognition that both areas have historically been underserved, with long waits, fragmented pathways and inconsistent access to specialist advice.
Digital care is increasingly being positioned as part of the solution. For patients, the key question is what this shift actually means in practice, and where GP-led care still fits in.
Why menopause and prostate care need attention
Both menopause and prostate conditions affect large numbers of people, yet access to timely assessment and follow-up has often been challenging.
For menopause, many patients report:
- Delayed recognition of symptoms
- Limited access to clinicians with menopause expertise
- Inconsistent advice around hormone replacement therapy
For prostate conditions, common issues include:
- Long waits for investigation of urinary symptoms
- Anxiety around PSA testing and interpretation
- Delays between referral, imaging and specialist review
The NHS announcement acknowledges these gaps and signals an intention to improve access through digital pathways.
What the NHS digital hospital model is aiming to do
The proposed online hospital model is designed to:
- Improve access to specialist advice
- Reduce unnecessary outpatient appointments
- Support patients with long-term conditions remotely
- Use digital platforms for monitoring and follow-up
In theory, this could help streamline care for people with stable menopause symptoms or ongoing prostate conditions, particularly once diagnosis and treatment plans are established.
What digital care can help with
From a clinical perspective, digital pathways work well for:
- Symptom reviews and follow-up
- Medication monitoring and adjustments
- Reviewing test results
- Ongoing education and support
For menopause, this may include reviewing symptoms, treatment response and side effects. For prostate conditions, it may include monitoring urinary symptoms, PSA trends and medication effectiveness.
What digital care cannot replace
It is also important to be clear about the limitations.
Certain aspects of care still require:
- Physical examination
- Blood tests and imaging
- Face to face assessment where symptoms are complex or changing
- Clear escalation pathways when red flag symptoms are present
Digital systems work best when they are integrated into a broader clinical pathway rather than operating in isolation.
Where GP-led care still plays a central role
For many patients, the GP remains the first and most important point of contact.
GPs are central to:
- Early recognition of menopause and prostate symptoms
- Appropriate initial investigations
- Interpreting results in clinical context
- Deciding when specialist input is needed
- Providing continuity over time
Digital specialist services are most effective when they sit on top of a strong primary care foundation.
How this aligns with AccessGP’s approach
At AccessGP, digital care is built around GP-led assessment rather than replacing it. We already support patients with:
- Early menopause and perimenopause symptoms
- Prostate and urinary symptoms
- PSA testing and result interpretation
- Ongoing follow-up and safety netting
We also use our Knowledge Base to help patients understand their condition and treatment options alongside medical care.
You can explore this here:
https://accessgp.co.uk/knowledge-base/
What this means for patients right now
The NHS announcement is a positive step, but meaningful change will take time.
In the meantime, patients should:
- Seek early advice for new or changing symptoms
- Avoid delaying assessment due to uncertainty
- Ask clear questions about investigations and follow-up
- Use digital care as a tool, not a replacement for clinical judgement
Better outcomes come from combining access, continuity and expertise.
Looking ahead
Digital healthcare is clearly becoming a larger part of the NHS and private healthcare landscape. The prioritisation of menopause and prostate conditions reflects real patient need.
The challenge now is ensuring that digital expansion is matched with safe clinical oversight, clear pathways and GP involvement. When those elements are in place, digital care can genuinely improve access and experience for patients.
Key sources: AccessGP Clinical Knowledge Base; NHS England, Menopause and prostate conditions prioritised for NHS online hospital; NHS UK, Menopause; NHS UK, Prostate conditions overview.