2025 in review
The past year was marked by ambitious commitments and complex challenges for the NHS. Following the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change speech in late 2024, the Government set a bold target: 92% of routine NHS appointments within 18 weeks of referral. To achieve this, reforms focused on elective care, expanding community diagnostic centres, and refreshing partnerships with the independent sector.
The launch of the 10 Year Health Plan promised transformative shifts – from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention – alongside the development of a single patient record and neighbourhood health service.
However, progress on these reforms was slower than anticipated. Major restructuring both nationally and regionally with the abolition of NHS England and integrated care board realignments, industrial action by resident doctors, and financial pressures all hindered delivery. Despite a 29% pay rise for junior doctors in 2024, disputes continued, with strikes dominating headlines.
By year-end, elective waiting lists showed only marginal improvement, underscoring the scale of the challenge ahead.
Digital transformation
Last year marked a pivotal step toward digitising health and care services. The NHS accelerated the rollout of digital tools, expanding the NHS App’s functionality to support appointment booking, prescription management, and patient record access.
Community diagnostic centres furthered work to integrate digital pathways, enabling faster referrals and reducing administrative bottlenecks. Progress was also made on the foundations for the single patient record, with initial interoperability pilots launched to bridge fragmented health and social care data.
While these initiatives signalled a strong commitment to the ‘analogue to digital’ shift outlined in the 10 Year Health Plan, implementation challenges – including funding constraints and workforce disruption – meant that full-scale adoption remains a work in progress. Nevertheless, 2025 laid the groundwork for a more connected, data-driven healthcare system.
2026: The year of laying foundations
From the perspective of organisations working within and with the NHS, 2026 will be defined by two parallel forces: political turbulence and operational transformation.
Operational focus: Delivering the 10 Year Health Plan
The NHS enters 2026 with a clear mandate: progress on the 10 Year Health Plan. While full implementation remains years away, this year will see tangible steps toward a more integrated, digital-first health system. The NHS has been informed of the current priorities so expect to see more innovation around the delivery models needed to meet these targets and improve productivity. In addition, expect consultations and procurement activity around the single patient record, alongside the initial rollout of neighbourhood health centres.
NHS Online – a new digital foundation trust planned for launch in 2027 – will begin to take shape, leveraging the NHS App and community diagnostic centres to streamline pathways and reduce waiting lists.
Expect a move towards regulation and common standards for AI-driven tools in the medical space to attempt to temper the risks of the current ‘wild west’. We anticipate greater investment in interoperability standards as the system prioritises efficiency and prevention over reactive care. This is likely to mean heightened demand for scalable, secure solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure. While financial pressures may temper the speed of adoption, 2026 will be a defining year for embedding digital-first models into everyday care.
For medtech innovators like Feedback Medical, these developments signal opportunity. The emphasis on interoperability and digital pathways aligns with our mission to enhance clinical efficiency and patient outcomes through advanced collaboration and data sharing solutions.
However, financial constraints remain a reality. Increased spending on innovative medicines and additional funding coming through as capital and not revenue mean that providers will struggle to invest in measures that increase patient activity. This will make value-based propositions and demonstrable return on investment critical for organisations working with the NHS.
Restructuring and workforce challenges
The abolition of NHS England and its merger into the Department of Health and Social Care will accelerate in 2026, supported by £800m earmarked for redundancy payments. While this may bring long-term clarity, short-term disruption is inevitable.
Decision-making bottlenecks and leadership uncertainty will persist, impacting procurement cycles and operational stability. Industrial action remains unresolved, with limited fiscal headroom for pay settlements – a risk factor for service continuity and morale.
Strategic commissioning
In 2026, integrated care boards (ICBs) will step into a significantly strengthened strategic commissioning role following the publication of the strategic commissioning framework in November 2025. Under these new powers, ICBs will be responsible for long‑term planning, resource allocation, and performance evaluation across the full spectrum of NHS‑commissioned services – from prevention and primary care to acute, mental health, and end‑of‑life care. This expanded remit gives ICBs greater autonomy to shape local care models, determine priorities, and commission across entire pathways, supported by enhanced leadership expectations, strengthened analytical capabilities, and closer partnership working with local authorities and providers.
These changes signal a shift toward more coherent system‑level decision‑making – but also a more complex commissioning environment as ICBs balance rising responsibilities with reduced internal capacity during reorganisation.
What this means for the health and care landscape
Without solid foundations being laid – particularly in the case of digital solutions – the NHS will continue to struggle to make the necessary improvements to meet their productivity targets. New initiatives are all well and good but there are existing solutions that have proven to have a significant impact, decision makers just need to be bold and implement them.
As the system moves toward integrated records and digital-first pathways, we are positioned to help clinicians deliver faster, smarter care. Yet, success will depend on navigating a complex, evolving landscape – balancing innovation with affordability, and national ambitions with local realities.
2026 will not be a year of quick wins, but of laying foundations. We see the year ahead as an opportunity to lead in shaping a health system that is more connected, efficient, and patient-centric. We are committed to supporting the NHS and its partners through this period of transformation.
If you are looking for innovative collaboration solutions that drive efficiency and improve patient outcomes, get in touch with our team today.