UK digital health funding should be ringfenced, says report

A leading IT industry organisation in the UK has called on the government to guarantee funding for digital transformation and cyber resilience in health and social care, saying it is vital not to miss the current "window of opportunity."

The report from techUK welcomes the new Labour government's recognition that "decisive change" – underpinned by digital technologies – is needed to fulfil its objective of a prevention-focused approach to health and increased productivity in the NHS to support its objective of boosting economic growth.

"It is vital that we do not lose the current window of opportunity through which to act on these ambitions and make significant structural changes in health and social care," according to techUK, which recommends that the government commit to previously committed funding levels for digital transformation "as a minimum."

It also calls for increased capital investment, the development of a common architectural approach to systems development, and improved commercial and procurement practices within the NHS – including increased transparency around commercial activity across the NHS at local, national, and regional levels.

Looking specifically at digital health technologies (DHTs), efforts should be made to "clarify and standardise" the evidence that developers will need to provide in order to get their tools cleared for use and reimbursement by the NHS.

Specifically, that includes taking into account industry responses submitted as part of the ongoing consultation on medtech pathways by NHS England and health technology assessment (HTA) agency NICE, which aims to lay out a common set of rules and commissioning principles, according to techUK.

Last year, the former Conservative government published a new strategy for the medtech sector, recognising that - for both medtech developers and the NHS - greater consistency and clarity on how to bring innovative products to market is needed.

techUK's lengthy list of recommendations also includes a central strategy and guidance to guide the safe, responsible, and well-governed use of artificial intelligence in health and social care settings, and defining the next phase of development for the NHS App.

"If the recommendations presented are not actioned with urgency, not only will the opportunity to deliver the systemic change and underpin the policies required to make long-awaited improvements across the NHS and social care be missed, but so too will the UK's vulnerability to losing valuable innovations overseas, and ability to sustain a thriving digital health and care ecosystem, be worsened," says the report.