Millions of patients on the waiting list for NHS care will be able to access support and check wait times at their fingertips thanks to a new online platform.

My Planned Care, one of the latest measures in a major package of moves by the NHS to tackle the Covid-19 backlog, will allow patients and their carers to access information ahead of their planned appointment, operation or treatment through the touch of a button.

NHS England has said that, in this first stage, approximately 5.5 million patients will be able to search on the site to find the average waiting time at their local hospital for the specialist area they need treatment in.

Data from 137 NHS trusts across England will be on the site, with the platform scheduled to be expanded in the coming months to include personalised information and support for patients on the waiting list to help them stay well while they wait, including advice on how best to manage symptoms.

Future expansion of the service will also include advice on stopping smoking as well as on diet and exercise, to help patients get ready for surgery and make sure they recover as quickly as possible.

Targeted packages of support will be rolled out to support those patients waiting for procedures with the longest waits or those with the greatest need.

Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director at NHS England, said: “Treating more than 600,000 covid patients in hospital over the last two years has inevitably had an impact on routine care and staff are doing everything they can to reduce the backlogs that have inevitably built up.

“We know that it can be frustrating for patients who are waiting and so this online site will help to give patients and their families crucial information about how long they might have to wait, helping them feel more informed about their treatment plan. And, as we have always said throughout the pandemic, it is vitally important that anybody who has health concerns continues to come forward, so that the NHS can help you get the care you need.”