NHS 10-year plan: What this means for healthtech innovators

The NHS has launched its most ambitious transformation yet. The 2025-2035 Long-Term Plan is a bold roadmap to modernise healthcare delivery across the UK. For health and medtech companies - and the investors backing them - this is a watershed moment.

But what does it really mean for innovators looking to engage with the NHS? And how can they navigate the risks of entering one of the world’s most complex healthcare systems?

Here’s a breakdown of the opportunities, challenges, and strategies that matter most.

The opportunity: A digital first, community centric NHS

• AI and data-driven care: From diagnostics to predictive analytics, the NHS is scaling AI across the care continuum
• Virtual wards and remote monitoring: A major push to deliver care at home, supported by digital platforms
• Integrated Care Systems (ICS): These regional bodies are now key buyers of tech, creating new routes for engagement
• Prevention and personalisation: Digital therapeutics, genomics, and lifestyle tools are central to the NHS’s prevention-first strategy
• Public-private collaboration: With up to £10 billion in tech investment by 2028–29, the NHS is actively inviting innovation

The challenges: From vision to execution

• Workforce shortages: New models of care require new skills. The NHS is already stretched and, in some parts, burnt out
• Digital inequality amongst patients and clinicians and carers: Tech must be inclusive to avoid widening health and care gaps
• Fragmented infrastructure: Many NHS systems still lack interoperability
• Unclear governance: De-centralisation brings complexity.
• Funding gaps: Capital investment is essential, but the Plan doesn’t guarantee it

The strategy: How tech vendors can de-risk NHS engagement

To succeed in this evolving landscape, vendors should:

1. Align with NHS priorities: Use frameworks like What Good Looks Like to shape your pitch
2. Engage ICS and Trust buyers early: Build relationships with local digital leads and tailor your solutions to regional needs
3. Prove interoperability: NHS buyers want plug-and-play solutions that work with existing systems
4. Show evidence: Clinical and economic impact is key, especially UK-based data
5. Use procurement frameworks: G-Cloud and HSSF can streamline entry
6. Consider collaborations with other vendors selling complimentary services/products
7. Support digital inclusion: Build for accessibility and equity
8. Plan for the long game: NHS sales cycles are long, flexibility and patience are essential

Bonus: NHS market entry checklist

• Align with NHS strategy
• Ensure standards compliance (FHIR, SNOMED, UKCA)
• Demonstrate interoperability
• Provide clinical and economic evidence
• List on procurement frameworks
• Engage with potential collaborators selling complimentary services/products
• Engage ICS stakeholders
• Offer implementation support. Become part of the NHS Team
• Monitor policy and funding updates

Final thoughts

The NHS 10-year plan is more than a policy document - it’s a call to action for innovators who want to shape the future of healthcare. For those who can navigate complexity, the rewards are immense: scalable impact, long-term partnerships, and a chance to improve millions of lives.

If you're a healthtech founder, investor, or an NHS leader - we’d love to hear your thoughts. How are you preparing for this next chapter in UK healthcare and what concerns do you have?