NHS England technology blueprint: industry engagement session mission

techUK is convening Health Tech suppliers for a two-hour virtual engagement session with NHS England, led by Sonia Patel and her senior team, to explore how industry can engage with and support the delivery of the Tech Blueprint.

As the 10-Year Health Plan in from dialogue to digital, NHS England is opening a dialogue with the supplier community. The goal is to share NHS England's emerging strategic vision and actively seek market intelligence to ensure the approach is technically robust and ambitious in its outcomes.

To ensure the success of the 10-Year Health Plan, NHSE is launching a phased engagement event focused on "Analogue Legacy" to "Digital" This plan leverages a hybrid approach (Virtual, In-Person, and Asynchronous) to validate the three proposed strategic shifts: Person-Centred Architecture, Digital Public Infrastructure, and a Digital Operating Model.

The goal is to move from high-level strategy ("The What & Why") to technical feasibility ("The Where & How") by engaging the supplier market directly.

Phase 1: the vision (virtual consultation)

Agenda overview:

1. Shift 1: Moving from silos to Person-Centred Architecture (Enabling longitudinal care).

2. Shift 2: Establishing Digital Public Infrastructure (The "roads and rail" for open data).

3. Shift 3: Defining the Digital Operating Model (National standards vs Local delivery).

The purpose of this engagement

 NHS England is looking to move beyond traditional procurement dynamics. Instead, NHS England wants to socialise our proposed architecture with the market to:

1. Share our thinking: Be transparent about the move from legacy silos to a “Person-Centred” and “Digital Public Infrastructure” model.

2. Validate feasibility: Understand if the proposed "Single Operating System" model is technically workable and deliverable within the current market landscape.

3. Drive better outcomes: Solicit supplier expertise on how to improve the approach to deliver even greater value for patients and clinicians.

Key objectives for supplier input

The overall objective is to gather broad consensus on the strategic narrative and identification of initial red flags.

NHS England is inviting current and potential partners to review the strategy and provide feedback on:

• Technical viability: Is the proposed shift to open standards and national interoperability (our “roads and rail”) feasible with current technology? Where are the technical risks?

• Operational reality: How can NHS England ensure the distinction between national standards and local delivery is workable in practice?

• Outcome enhancement: Beyond what NHS England has designed, what innovative approaches or emerging technologies could be leveraged to further improve patient pathways and efficiency?