Event Round-Up | Health Foundation Industry Briefing on NHS & Social Care Digitisation
techUK was delighted to welcome the Health Foundation team for an industry briefing on NHS and social care digitisation on 11 July 2025. The session featured Tom Hardie (Senior Fellow), Alex Lawrence (Improvement Fellow), and Katie Fozard (Economist) from the Health Foundation, who shared valuable insights on the investment needed to fully digitise the NHS and adult social care, and the critical steps required to maximise the potential of Electronic Patient Records (EPRs).
The recording of this session is available at the bottom of the page.
Key Findings on Digitisation Costs
The Health Foundation commissioned PA Consulting to assess the total investment required to digitise the NHS and adult social care across the UK. Their research revealed that £21 billion will be needed over the next five years, comprising:
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£8 billion in capital investment for digital infrastructure (hardware and software)
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£3 billion in one-off revenue investment for design, implementation and transition
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£2 billion in recurring annual revenue investment for maintenance, optimisation and ongoing operations
Notably, around half of this investment is required for foundational elements including EPRs, technical architecture, national platforms, corporate IT, and digital social care records - highlighting that significant investment is still needed in basic building blocks before advancing to cutting-edge technologies.
Critical Insights on EPR Optimisation
With 91% of NHS trusts now having an EPR system (as of February 2025), the Health Foundation's research emphasised that procurement is just the starting point. Key findings include:
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Only 10-30% of EPRs are using advanced functions like integrated prescriptions and record sharing
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Most systems are being used merely as "digital notebooks" without realising productivity benefits
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Trusts that have successfully optimised EPRs have typically relied on non-core funding sources
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The longer EPRs remain in place without delivering tangible benefits, the harder it becomes to bring staff on board
Reflections on the 10 Year Health Plan
The team offered initial thoughts on the government's 10 Year Health Plan, noting that while technology is woven throughout with ambitious commitments, the plan lacks crucial delivery detail. They expressed concern about the jump to advanced technologies like AI integration without addressing foundational issues, and highlighted that proposals such as the single patient record and national remote monitoring platform will require funding beyond the £10 billion committed in the spending review.
Key Recommendations
The Health Foundation emphasised three critical recommendations for policymakers:
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Set a clear, transformative and durable vision for digitisation that focuses on improving frontline care and operational efficiency
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Support the vision with required multi-year funding that allows flexible, locally-tailored implementation while meeting national standards
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Develop a comprehensive plan for realising benefits that recognises digitisation as an ongoing process requiring continuous iteration
The overarching message was clear: success in healthcare digitisation comes from "the change, not the tech" - emphasising that technology procurement is merely the beginning of a longer journey requiring sustained focus on implementation, training, and cultural transformation.
Please find the integral Health Foundation Report via this link
