John Browett, a business leader and former supermarket chief executive, has been named chair of the newly established Online NHS Trust, the organisation delivering NHS Online — a national virtual specialist care service accessible through the NHS App and video consultations.
Browett’s senior leadership background includes roles as chief executive of Tesco.com and positions at Dixons, Apple and Dunelm. He is currently chair of the Institute of Directors and has previously chaired Octopus Group and served as a non-executive director at easyJet.
He said he was pleased to take up the role and to help build a service focused on intuitive, responsive care designed around patients’ needs. NHS England Chair Dr Penny Dash welcomed his appointment, noting his experience in customer-focused, digitally enabled services and the importance of integrating NHS Online with the wider NHS. Health and Social Care Secretary James Murray also praised Browett’s track record of building digital services for large numbers of people.
What NHS Online will do
NHS Online aims to speed up access to specialist care by allowing patients across England to consult expert clinicians digitally, regardless of location. The service is expected to deliver up to 8.5 million virtual appointments and assessments in its first three years. Initial services due to launch next year will include care for conditions clinicians agree can be safely diagnosed and managed virtually, such as menopause and prostate problems, recurring urinary tract infections and iron deficiency anaemia.
Patients will be offered the option of NHS Online when their GP refers them for specialist care. Care will be delivered through the NHS App, enabling patients to receive consultations at home without waiting for an in-person appointment. Tests, scans and procedures that require physical attendance will continue to take place at local healthcare sites. Clinicians will also be able to triage remotely and review patient notes outside normal office hours when appropriate.
The trust emphasises that NHS Online will not replace face-to-face care for those who prefer or need it. Patients will retain the choice to be referred by traditional routes and see specialists in person. By giving more patients a virtual option, the service intends to free up in-person appointments and reduce waiting lists for everyone.
Staffing and engagement
NHS staff will be able to work for NHS Online alongside their usual roles. A survey of nearly 300 consultants and specialist doctors found around six in ten were interested in participating, with about 48% willing to offer at least four hours a week. Respondents cited opportunities to care for patients innovatively, to work more flexibly and to improve patient experience as key motivations. Further engagement with clinicians, nurses, patients and other stakeholders will inform service design and implementation.
Governance and board appointments
The Online NHS Trust board brings clinical, digital and commercial expertise. Non-executive directors appointed to the board include:
– Professor Ian Abbs: former chief executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, now in a part-time Chief Medical Officer role at GSTT. He chairs the South East GMS Partnership Board and contributes to several national NHS advisory boards.
– Marko Balabanovic: chief technology officer at Our Future Health, with previous roles at NHS Digital, Digital Catapult and Huma. He brings strong experience in AI, digital product design and large-scale health technology delivery.
– Mary Basterfield: experienced chief financial officer with roles across S4 Capital Group, Just Eat, Dentsu, Expedia and major media companies. She has held non-executive finance roles in NHS trusts and research organisations.
– Nikita (Nikki) Kanani: GP and Global Medical Director at Neko Health, former NHS England Medical Director for Primary Care and deputy senior responsible officer for the COVID-19 vaccination programme, with a focus on access, inequalities and digital inclusion.
– Omar Din: executive partner and co-founder of Bourne Health and Dr Hub, with advisory and academic roles including at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the University of Oxford. He previously led a major primary care organisation.
– Dame Ruth May: former Chief Nursing Officer for NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care, now working in selective non-executive and advisory roles.
Simon Morris has been appointed associate non-executive director. He co-founded start-ups including graze.com and LoveFiLM, held senior roles at Amazon, chairs digital mental health platform JAAQ, and serves as a governor of the Museum of London.
Next steps
NHS Online was announced by the Prime Minister in September 2025 and has now been formally established as the Online NHS Trust. The trust is continuing to develop services with clinicians, patients and technical experts to ensure safe, effective and accessible virtual specialist care. More information is available at https://onlinetrust.nhs.uk/.
