For decades, digital transformation in the NHS has been more of a footnote than a foundation. But the new 10-Year Plan changes that.

It’s encouraging to see digital placed at the heart of ambitions to improve care. Too often, it has been an afterthought. Now, it’s front and centre.

The plan is bold—and rightly so—but significant barriers remain. From legacy systems and fragmented data to challenges around digital literacy and workforce capacity, these foundational issues must be addressed to realise the plan’s potential.

We also welcome the clear focus on three core shifts, particularly the transition from analogue to digital. But to ensure this shift succeeds, attention must be paid not only to technology but to the human behaviours, adoption strategies, and sustained energy required for meaningful change.

There is already a wealth of digital infrastructure on the ground, but much of it remains underused or misaligned. With the right support, it can improve outcomes, efficiency, and experience for both patients and staff. The opportunity lies not just in new tools—but in embedding and optimising what already exists.

Feedback across the sector reflects cautious optimism, with many calling for more clarity on the structures underpinning proposals like the NHS App, Single Patient Record, and neighbourhood-level EPRs.

Ongoing system reorganisation, uncertainty around governance, and persistent concerns about workforce retention continue to challenge digital leaders at local and regional levels.

1. Legacy Technology and Infrastructure

• Continued reliance on paper and outdated systems
• Multiple logins and lack of integration draining clinical time

2. Administrative Burden

• Excessive manual data entry
• Poor system usability adding to clinical workloads

3. Fragmented Patient Data

• Repeated histories due to siloed system
• Integration hurdles for a single patient view

4. Low Digital Maturity

• AI and digital tools often stuck in pilot phase
• Inconsistent rollout of digital triage and remote monitoring

5. Patient Digital Access and Literacy

• Risks of exclusion for vulnerable or less digitally confident groups
• Need for inclusive design and user testing

6. Workforce Readiness and Culture

• Resistance when tech adds to workload rather than reducing it
• Ongoing need for support, upskilling, and cultural alignment

7. Data Governance and Trust

• Public concern over privacy, consent, and control
• Clear, accessible policy and communication needed

8. Procurement and Scalability

• Fragmented procurement limiting pace and spread
• Need for consistent investment and local readiness

9. Feedback and Continuous Improvement

• Weak mechanisms for listening and acting on feedback
• Potential for AI-supported aggregation to strengthen learning loops

To move forward, systems must not only engage with the plan’s ambition—but also get the basics right:

• Collaborate: Share learning and effective approaches across organisations
• Act at Scale: Leverage partnerships and national infrastructure to scale up success
• Rationalise and Converge: Streamline technology to reduce complexity and improve interoperability

At St Vincent’s, we work with NHS organisations and digital leaders to enable sustainable digital change. Our support includes:

• Pulse – a platform to help share, adopt, and scale what works
• Luminary Advisory – senior NHS-experienced advisors offering strategic insight and lived expertise
• Technical Delivery – skilled implementation architecture, interoperability, and transformation support
• Cybersecurity Partnerships – helping ensure safe and resilient delivery

We bring together human insight and digital expertise, always keeping the patient experience at the heart of what we do.

The NHS 10-Year Plan sets out a vital and ambitious vision. Delivering on that vision will require more than systems and software. It demands sustained commitment to people, culture, and ways of working.

This is an exciting moment for health and care in the UK. If you’re working through local challenges or considering how to align with national strategy, we’d welcome the chance to connect and share insight.