Cautious optimism is the general tone among health-tech companies in the UK going into 2025.
Healthcare technology companies are the private entities providing software and hardware to the hospitals and health centres around the UK. This can be in the form of EPRs (electronic patient records), cyber security systems, or even translation services.
Building Better Healthcare spoke to many of these providers about what they expect the next year to look like.
Mentioned regularly by providers was Lord Darzi’s 10 year plan. Lord Darzi's 10-year plan for the NHS, commissioned by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, addresses critical challenges in the UK's healthcare system.
One of the main focuses of the new plan is shifting the NHS from analogue to digital, or a “tilt towards technology” as translation tech expert Kavita Parmar from Word360 put it.
The conversation from here normally turns towards funding, but this seems to be only one piece of the puzzle.
“While increased funding is crucial, the real challenge lies in transforming rhetoric into reality through streamlined processes and standardised procurement procedures,” said Dr Rachael Grimaldi, co-founder and CEO of healthcare communications company CardMedic.
Money and speed are two big factors to success, but they miss a key cog
Healthcare software firm Answer Digital’s CEO, Richard Pugmire, emphasised that “swift” budget planning and capacity building is necessary for success, with a focus on remote monitoring, electronic patient records, and digital therapeutics being key.
Money and speed are two big factors to success, but they miss a key cog. Kelly Woodcock from healthcare solutions expert Baxter emphasised the need to understand and prioritise workflow and patient flow. “Digitisation of inefficient workflows will only digitise chaos,” she said.
Phil Bottle from workforce optimisation expert SARD said that in 2025 the NHS Trusts need to do a “forensic-level” investigation into capacity and demand. Following this investigation, Bottle suggests bringing planning and operations into the same conversation. “Uniting planning and operations, which are traditionally siloed functions, will enable leaders to pre-empt staffing pressures, optimise resource allocation, and foster environments where staff feel supported.”
So the roadmap is clear. The healthcare industry’s technology must not only be adequately funded but also thoughtfully designed and effectively targeted.
This is the year to tackle interoperability
Lord Darzi plan advocates for a “single, patient-owned health record” to be shared across the NHS.
However, this is by no means a simple task.
A starting point for this is the EPR. EPRs are well established, with 90% of NHS providers covered by these electronic patient records. But the lack of interoperability means the full benefits can’t be reached across the entire NHS and healthcare network.
Paul Charnley, a senior healthcare advisor for St Vincent's Consulting, explained that the prioritisation of shared EPRs and connected records will be a key trend in 2025. “The focus will shift from go-lives to stabilisation and optimisation.”
Lord Darzi plan advocates for a “single, patient-owned health record” to be shared across the NHS
Jane Stephenson, CEO of patient entertainment system provider SPARK TSL, added that the ability for these systems to work seamlessly together will be vital for implementing these new technologies, such as real-time data sharing, reducing duplication, and improving collaboration across teams.
Brian Murray, from digital healthcare expert Better, suggested that the convergence of the non-profit platform openEHR and the healthcare data-focused FHIR standards will accelerate interoperability projects by “enabling complementary functionality rather than fostering competition,” addressing an intrinsic barrier to success in this area.
Both Murray and Jackie Henderson, from healthcare software company Excelicare, advocated for SMART on FHIR. This is a healthcare standard that enables applications to access clinical information through a data store.
Another avenue that experts think would take a front seat in the fight for interoperability is the NHS app. Rachael Fox, from healthcare IT expert Altera Digital Health, said that one of the company’s main aims is to support technology providers integrating with national systems like the NHS app.
Concerns about interoperability have been rising for years, and the hope is that with renewed efforts and funding, these can really start to be addressed this year.
AI as a healthcare tool
Generative AI has the potential to redefine how clinical teams interact with technology and transform the patient experience. “Natural language processing and conversational interfaces will make electronic patient record systems more intuitive, reducing cognitive burden and the risk of burnout,” explained Katie Quirke, CEO of healthcare software firm Alcidion Group.
Focus must be on ensuring quality and governance
Speaking as a member of the Highland Marketing advisory board, experienced NHS CIO James Norman also raised the topic of AI decision support and how it may be used in the healthcare sector in this coming year.
Norman suggested it could be used in robotic surgery, supplementary digital GPs, telehealth and remote monitoring applications, as well as to support junior doctors.
However, there is a flip side to these AI benefits, and that is the support infrastructure that is needed to ensure its proper usage. Both from energy demands and regulatory requirements.
Andrew Edge from data analytics expert Simpson Associates, said: “Focus must be on ensuring quality and governance, as well as putting the data and AI tools in place to deliver on this opportunity. This enables AI to be utilised beyond task automation and deliver against the key strategic NHS goals including achieving “more with less”.
Sharon Hanley, from primary care consultancy Hanley Consulting, raised the concern that the variation in AI’s ability from tool to tool can be vast. She said this could cause a “growing divide between the best and worst performing GP practices”.
To combat this in the next year, Hanley suggested the formation of an AI Advisory board aligned with the Department for Science Innovation and Technology that can rubber stamp approved AI suppliers.
Protecting data with cyber security
It would be impossible to talk about using AI to improve the healthcare system without acknowledging that with it comes the need to protect patient data.
Cloud tech expert Mastek’s Assad Tabet is already seeing this in the market and predicts that this year will see cyber security prioritised if the AI and digitisation trend continues at pace.
2024 saw a series of concerning cyberattacks on the NHS, which remains an ideal target for such crimes due to its vast repositories of sensitive data.
Chris Scarisbrick from secure communications company Sectra emphasised the importance of focusing on the diagnostics segment. “Cloud based provision – which is continuing to grow at pace in diagnostic imaging – can help, where the cyber expertise of large cloud providers can be leveraged in ways not possible on-premises. But we must also adopt best practice at every point possible as suppliers – whether that’s compliance with Cyber Essentials Plus, IS027001, or CSA STAR accreditations.”
Procurement
Better’s Brian Murray advocated a “vendor-neutral approach” for the future digitisation of the UK healthcare system.
Murray predicted that government support for health data ownership and data portability rights will further strengthen the case for openEHR and vendor-neutral data models. “Public procurement processes are likely to reflect these priorities, increasing demand for compliant solutions in tenders,” he said.
This approach should help with interoperability, but also lean into the concerns that many companies have been talking about for years surrounding procurement of services. Many feel that this process can be difficult for newcomings and this has had an impact on the implementation of innovation.
Chris Goldie, CEO of software development firm Vertex in Healthcare, said: “The opportunity in 2025 is to modernise procurement functions such that new entrants can overcome any remaining complacencies from historic vendors who fail to prove responsiveness to pressures faced at the diagnostic coalface.”
Lord Darzi called out the need to address sub-scale uptake of applications that improve quality and efficiency
Paul Bailey from medical equipment supplier, Mindray UK, echoed this, positing that value-based procurement will come into focus during 2025. “Consideration must be given to the value of technology in supporting modern workflows.”
For Dr Mark Ratnarajah, from AI backed software C2-Ai, he thought it was important to draw attention to what both Lord Darzi’s report and Professor Roland Sinker review say on the uptake of new technologies.
“Lord Darzi called out the need to address sub-scale uptake of applications that improve quality and efficiency. And the newly published innovation ecosystem review led by Professor Roland Sinker calls out the need to spread “proven products”, with a failure to do so risking unwarranted variation and a perception that companies investing will struggle to grow.
“With urgency to embrace technology equitably, the NHS can little afford the time and effort required to reinvent ad infinitum. The bar must be set high in choosing what to scale. But once innovations are proven in the field with evidence in clinical practice and academic rigour, then funding and mechanisms must be in place to scale at pace and everywhere, so all patients can benefit. 2025 must be the year to make this happen.”
Happy 2025
With renewed focus comes renewed scrutiny. So with the new government, the efforts to restore the NHS have never been more under the microscope.
With a hopeful tone, Nick Wilson, CEO of IT solutions provider System C said: “I think we will, or at least we should, see increasing focus on accountability for the delivery of promised benefits.”
However, achieving these ambitious goals will require navigating significant political and systemic barriers, such as ensuring cross-party support, overcoming entrenched resistance to change within the NHS, and addressing disparities in technological infrastructure across regions.
The question is, is 2025 the year that turns the tide?