techUK Response to the NHS 10 Year Health Plan
Following the Lord Darzi independent review of the NHS in England, the government has opened a national conversation to develop a comprehensive 10-health plan. The consultation, "Change NHS: Help Build a Health Service Fit for the Future", is a key opportunity for techUK members to impact the course of Digital Health Policy in the years ahead.
On the 6th of November, techUK held a member discussion on the arguments and suggestions which ought to be included in the response. The following insight briefly summarises the discussion.
What does your organisation want to see included in the 10-Year Health Plan and why?
In this first question, members emphasised the long-standing concerns that techUK has advocated since the appointment of the new government, suggesting further commitments to regular industry engagement. Members called for:
What does your organisation see as the biggest challenges and enablers to move more care from hospitals to communities?
For care to transition beyond hospitals, the health strategy must overcome: (1) funding allocation, particularly as the majority of NHS funding is directed at the acute care sectors; (2) infrastructure limitations, both in terms of digital technology and physical; and (3) workforce shortages .
While targeted investment is a key component to the transition, members also noted the importance of fostering trust and engagement among patients beyond the hospital setting.
What does your organisation see as the biggest challenges and enablers to making better use of technology in health and care?
To enable a wider use of technology, techUK calls for consistent industry engagement to leverage companies’ expertise and provide more clarity on the national strategy for health technology.
Challenges to tech adoption still stem from the ongoing use of legacy technologies, the insufficient change management support to deliver digital transformation initiatives, and reimbursement models which inhibit innovation.
What does your organisation see as the biggest challenges and enablers to spotting illnesses earlier and tackling the causes of ill health?
The discussion highlighted two key challenges: the treatment-centric structure that favours acute services over prevention, and the persistent lack of integration between health and social care services leading to fragmented patient journeys and siloed data.
Successful prevention strategies require comprehensive policy reforms, as members noted that while the technological capabilities exist, there is a need for better understanding of implementation barriers, improved leadership structures, and more joined-up thinking to achieve meaningful systemic change.
Specific policy ideas for change. Prioritisation and timeframe you would expect to see this delivered in the short, medium, and long term
The three continuous priorities are: regular industry engagement, maintaining long-term strategic direction despite political changes, and ring-fenced funding for digital transformation.
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Long-term goals include better health and social care integration, enhanced cyber resilience, improved leadership culture, and greater cross-service coordination with other public services.
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