The National Health Service (NHS) is at a crossroads in its digital transformation journey. With the Frontline Digitisation programme setting the stage for a "once-in-a-generation" modernisation, technology is positioned as a core enabler of a more connected, efficient, and patient-centred healthcare system. But the path to digital maturity remains uneven. As we recently heard in a thought leadership roundtable with NHS leaders, progress is hindered by fragmented funding, inconsistent governance, and rushed implementations.
Chasing quick wins, missing the big picture
At the heart of the challenge lies the gap between ambition and execution. While the strategic vision for a fully digitised NHS is sound, its realisation is often thwarted by short-termism. “Technology follows the money,” noted Debbie Loke, Executive Chief Digital Information Officer at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, warning that investments too often stop at minimum viable products, rather than supporting long-term innovation and sustainability.
One critical component of digital maturity is data convergence, which is the ability to unify patient information across primary, secondary, and community care. Yet convergence is more than a technical task. It requires aligned care pathways, standardised workflows, and national interoperability mandates. As Jacqui Cooper, Chief Nursing Informatics Officer at Health Innovation Manchester, highlighted, “There’s nothing national about the NHS. We all do things differently, even from our neighbouring organisations, or from our colleagues in a different ward.”
Prioritising the patient experience
Despite systemic challenges, there are emerging bright spots. Diarmaid Crean, former Chief Digital and Technology Officer of Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, cited a successful multi-trust enterprise resource planning rollout that enabled standardised implementation and smoother integration. This is proof that shared platforms and collaborative procurement models can yield real dividends.
But to truly deliver on the promise of digital transformation, the patient perspective must remain central. One major concern is the lack of a single, unified patient data platform. “There is no single front door for them,” Cooper pointed out, emphasising the challenge for those who aren’t digitally literate to navigate the system. This fragmentation also leads to misconceptions among patients about the level of convergence within the NHS. “Patients and citizens believe we’re converged, and they’re very surprised when we start talking about bringing systems together,” she added.
Another challenge is ensuring patients have access to the right information and support to effectively engage with digital health tools. “We’re not thinking of the person as the central focus at all with that approach,” Cooper noted, highlighting the need for more patient-centric design and implementation of digital solutions.
An increasing need for expertise
External partners play a vital role in bridging knowledge gaps and scaling best practices across systems. From system design and supplier negotiation to user training and change management, external expertise offers much-needed capacity and perspective. “It’s about making it efficient and easy for clinicians to do their jobs and making that as clinically safe as it should be,” Crean said. However, partnerships must be underpinned by strong governance and strategic alignment. NHS organisations need more than one-off technical support; they need trusted collaborators who can help deliver sustainable change and bring frontline voices into the design and deployment of solutions.
Driving towards a patient-focused future for the NHS
With 85% of acute trusts expected to be part of the Federated Data Platform by March 2026, the clock is ticking. But if the NHS is to achieve meaningful digital transformation, the focus must shift from short-term compliance to long-term impact. As Sarah Hanbridge, Chief Clinical Information Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, put it: “Are we putting our energy into the right things? What do we already have that we’re not using?”
The future of healthcare is digital. But only if it’s thoughtfully implemented, patient-focused, and sustainably supported. The NHS has an extraordinary opportunity to lead this transformation. The question now is: Will we stay the course?