UKDHC Outlines 10 Key Strategies to Support NHS 10 Year Plan
The UK Digital Health and Care (UKDHC), the professional organisation representing clinical and non-clinical health informaticians, today outlined 10 key strategies to support the delivery of the NHS 10 Year Plan, Fit for the Future.
The strategies focus on strengthening the digital capabilities of the health and care workforce, fostering cross-sector collaboration and embedding innovation to help build a more sustainable patient-centred system.
The NHS 10 Year Plan sets out three transformative priorities: shifting care closer to communities, focusing on prevention and harnessing digital technology to improve outcomes. UKDHC strongly supports these ambitions and believes that delivering them will require committed leadership, shared responsibility across sectors and a willingness to challenge systems that no longer serve patients or professionals. The pace of innovation during the Covid-19 pandemic proved what is possible, and that same urgency and collaboration must now underpin long-term change.
UKDHC sees the NHS 10 Year Plan as a vital springboard to revitalise health and social care across England and the devolved nations. The agility shown by the health and care workforce during the pandemic demonstrated that rapid progress and change are achievable when there is clear focus and shared purpose. However, success depends on more than vision; it requires sound planning, securing stakeholder buy-in and creating small tangible wins that build momentum over time.
Recognising the challenges that come with digital transformation, UKDHC provides a safe space for conversation among digital healthcare leaders and activists to explore both the benefits and practical challenges of the plan. This includes addressing workforce well-being by reducing digital friction and technostress, ensuring that health and care professionals are supported as they adapt to new technologies and ways of working.
Achieving the plan’s goals will require broad collaboration with local councils, health and care organisations, professional bodies, private sector partners and voluntary groups. UKDHC emphasises the importance of inclusivity, ensuring both smaller and larger stakeholders have a voice in shaping the future of digital health and care.
UKDHC also highlights the need for evidence-based innovation, recognising that digital solutions should be properly evaluated and integrated. Challenges remain such as digital tools being implemented onto staff without adequate evidence or commissioning, which can undermine adoption and impact. Addressing these issues is essential for fostering a positive culture of innovation within the NHS.
To support the NHS 10 Year Plan, UKDHC offers a comprehensive set of strategies designed to enhance capabilities across health and care, encourage partnership working, uphold responsible data use and accelerate the adoption of new solutions. These initiatives aim to create a more effective and sustainable health system that puts patients at its heart.”
“The success of the NHS 10 Year Plan depends on our ability to turn ambition into action,” said Professor Angus Wallace, Chair of the Board of Directors at UKDHC. “That means equipping health and care professionals with the digital skills, data confidence and leadership support they need to drive meaningful change locally and nationally. UKDHC is part of that journey.”
