England’s £2bn Digital Health Plan

On 29th June, the Department of Health and Social Care released a £2bn plan that highlights a trend that Polestar has been writing about for a while – a new digital health plan. The plan says that patients will benefit from faster and more personlised healthcare through electronic patient records (EPRs) – a demand needed after the backlogs caused by Covid.

For example, by increasing the availability of remote monitoring – where patients can use technology to keep an eye on their condition from home – a further 500,000 people could be better supported by March 2023 by NHS staff.

The new plan highlights are below:

• Rapid expansion of use of technology – including remote monitoring and virtual wards – to drive efficiency, free up hospital space and clinician time, and bust the COVID backlogs
• NHS App to be updated with new features offering more personalised care from home, such as increasing patients’ access to their records and enabling notifications directly from their GP
• Digital reforms to deliver benefits over the next decade that could save billions in taxpayers’ money while also promoting economic growth and private investment

In addition to the investment in technology, the plan will also invest in the NHS staff by:

• developing a national digital workforce strategy to bridge the skills gap and ensure the NHS remains an attractive place to work
• growing the specialist data and tech workforce through graduates, apprentices and experienced hires, creating an additional 10,500 positions
• embedding digital skills development into university curriculums to support our future and incoming workforce
• providing a digital learning offer for adult social care staff, such as offering accessible training and online resources

As a frequent NHS app user, I cannot stress how important it is to have easy access to your records, appointments, and prescriptions. The healthtech sector has been booming throughout the pandemic, and this further investment from the government will only enhance the digitation of health in England.

At Polestar, we have experience working with many different companies within the healthtech space – this could be the perfect time to grow or sell your business. If you have any questions, please do get in touch!