As the NHS enters a transformative year, 2025 promises groundbreaking advancements in AI, patient care and health equity.
Discover how technology will shape a more efficient, inclusive and proactive healthcare system by hearing what some of the leading lights from the healthtech industry think.
Kavita Parmar, Co-Founder, Word360 said:
This year marks a critical turning point in the transformation of interpreting and translation services within the NHS.
As highlighted in Lord Darzi’s 2024 report, there is an urgent need for a ‘tilt towards technology’ and for systems to become more interoperable, particularly in addressing health inequalities and improving patient care.
Trusts will increasingly seek AI-driven, clinically safe translation services that can integrate seamlessly with their existing infrastructure, and ultimately improve productivity.
However, the demand for traditional face-to-face interpreting services will remain essential, especially as communities continue to diversify.
With initiatives like CORE20plus 5 pushing for more equitable access to healthcare, NHS Trusts will face growing pressure to allocate larger budgets to meet this rising demand.
As healthcare becomes more inclusive, ensuring effective communication across all languages will be crucial to improving patient outcomes and achieving the imminent NHS Long-Term Plan’s goals.”
Rachael Fox, Executive Vice President, EMEA at Altera Digital Health said:
The finalised 10-year plan will provide a detailed strategy to address many of the priorities discussed throughout the latter half of last year.
Using technology to increase capacity, enhance patient safety and drive predictive care are likely to be fundamental objectives.
As a system provider we’ll be focused on supporting these areas with our solutions, particularly with our patient flow system that provides end-to-end visibility of capacity.
Digital flow management provides real-time insights into bed status, bed availability and patient movement across whole hospitals making it possible for trusts to take a proactive approach to flow and start easing congestion.
A digital-first NHS will remain high on the agenda.
We are committed to supporting our clients’ digital programmes to increase digital maturity, join up care with integrated data and implement tech at scale, as we did for several digital exemplar trusts throughout 2024.
There will be increasing focus on technology providers integrating with national systems, such as the NHS App, to provide enhanced information for patients.
Altera will also be responding to providers being able to converge without the need to rip and replace.
This requirement will continue to gather pace as NHS organisations look to hit productivity targets with less money or resources.”
Richard Pugmire, CEO at Answer Digital
As we enter 2025, it is a cautiously optimistic time for digital transformation in healthcare.
The new 10-year plan, will be a milestone which many are understandably focused on.
This is a big responsibility for those involved and, it must deliver swiftly to guide critical budget planning and capacity building.
With a renewed focus on essential tools like remote monitoring, electronic patient records, and digital therapeutics, the health tech community and NHS leaders are optimistic about scaling proven solutions.
The maturing clinical validation of these technologies, alongside political stability and clearer priorities, creates opportunities for the savvy CIO to double down on the solutions that make a tangible difference to the clinical and operational pressures that their organisation faces.
However, to advance early detection and prevention, evaluation models must evolve to balance data-driven evidence with qualitative insights.
Additionally, the growing role of AI in healthcare demands a robust ecosystem and policy framework for approved applications, echoing standards like DTAC and SCCI 0129/SCCI 0160.
Engaging stakeholders, including the workforce and unions, will be essential to ensure this transformation benefits all.
Sharon Hanley, Director, Hanley Consulting
As we move into 2025, the use of AI in primary care will undoubtedly continue to grow.
If a national approach to using AI is not carefully managed, with vast variation in levels of knowledge and understanding of the many tools available, there could be a growing divide between the best and worst performing GP practices.
To ensure a consistent approach I hope to see the creation of an AI Advisory board aligned to the Department for Science Innovation and Technology that can rubber stamp approved AI suppliers, expediting the procurement and adoption of technologies that are proven to eliminate the 8am rush and reduce the strain on already stretched GP services.”
Chris Davies, CEO, ICST
As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, the healthcare landscape will undergo significant transformation, driven by the NHS’s commitment to population health management and the shift towards community-based, personalised care – as outlined in Lord Darzi’s report.
At ICST, we are leading the way in digital therapeutics, empowering patients with the tools and knowledge they need to manage their chronic health conditions.
Our goal is to provide patients with agency, improving their overall wellness while reducing pressure on the service, including GP visits and A&E admissions.
We believe the future of healthcare lies in integrating digital tools that not only support patients but also assist practitioners and commissioners in making informed decisions.
Our policy-to-patient programmes, grounded in medical evidence, are designed to foster long-term change through a suite of digital assets, including apps, educational platforms, and data analytics.
These tools support better patient outcomes and have demonstrated success in addressing health inequalities, with proven impact in communities most in need.
The imminent 10-Year Health Plan will likely highlight the need for a more efficient, accessible, and patient-centred care model.
As we continue to drive digital therapeutics, we are confident that our approach will drive efficiency, reduce costs, and deliver better value, especially as we move toward a future where healthcare is more proactive, personalised, and integrated into every community.
Brian Murray, Sales Director, Better
In 2025, the convergence of openEHR and FHIR standards will accelerate interoperability projects by enabling complementary functionality rather than fostering competition.
This collaborative approach will drive significant advancements in health data integration, throughout 2025 and beyond.
Recognition from the government and the NHS that a vendor-neutral approach is necessary to ensure long-term sustainability and flexibility will continue to gain traction.
Government support for health data ownership and data portability rights will further strengthen the case for openEHR and vendor-neutral data models.
Public procurement processes are likely to reflect these priorities, increasing demand for compliant solutions in tenders.
While artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to dominate industry discussions, we anticipate a growing realisation that AI must be underpinned by structured data.
In the context of direct clinical care, reliance solely on large language models—over which healthcare institutions have limited control—is unlikely to be viable.
We foresee AI as a development tool and the rise of low-code platforms fostering a dynamic ecosystem of applications compatible with vendor-neutral frameworks.
This trend will lower barriers to entry for new health tech start-ups, enabling scalable and innovative healthcare solutions.
Consequently, the openEHR community of modellers and developers is set to expand significantly in 2025.
As more nations adopt vendor-neutral health platform strategies, traditional system vendors will face a pivotal choice: adapt to the evolving landscape or double down on a “mega-suite” approach.
In the UK, this poses a particular challenge, risking continued vendor lock-in—a longstanding issue that has hindered progress within the healthcare sector.
Dr Rachael Grimaldi, Co-Founder and CEO, CardMedic said:
With the anticipated 10-year plan due in Spring 2025, I have cautious optimism that the Labour government can deliver on their NHS funding promises.
While increased funding is crucial, the real challenge lies in transforming rhetoric into reality through streamlined processes and standardised procurement procedures.
The healthcare system desperately needs genuine reform that benefits SMEs and innovators, bridging the current disconnect between frontline clinical needs and NHS operational capabilities.
Central to this transformation is the role of integrated care systems in breaking down traditional silos, particularly when it comes to vital services like healthcare interpretation and patient communication – areas where collaboration between trusts can significantly enhance patient experience and safety.
There’s been too much disparity between ambitious promises and practical implementation – what we need now is meaningful alignment between innovation, procurement, and delivery across integrated care systems.
My hope is that in 2025 we can create tangible pathways that enable real transformation in how the NHS operates, procures and implements change.
This alignment of approaches, supported by genuine cross-system collaboration, could finally close the substantial gap between what clinicians and innovators want to deliver and what the NHS infrastructure can actually support, ultimately leading to better, more equitable patient care.
Phil Bottle, Managing Director, SARD said:
In 2025, pioneering trusts will focus on gathering forensic-level management information to inform strategic decisions around capacity and demand.
This granular insight will enable leaders to balance productivity with patient safety and staff wellbeing. With this focus the NHS can lay the groundwork for a more sustainable future.
Beyond improving decision-making, this approach will drive a critical cultural shift by bringing planning and operational delivery closer together.
With clear, actionable data, trusts will align long-term workforce strategies with day-to-day realities to create more cohesive and adaptive systems.
Uniting planning and operations, which are traditionally siloed functions, will enable leaders to pre-empt staffing pressures, optimise resource allocation, and foster environments where staff feel supported.
This integration will ensure patient safety remains uncompromised while operational efficiency thrives.
My hope is 2025 will be a year of change and preparation, proving that productivity and wellbeing can both be achieved by aligning data-driven insights and strategy. On this path we can build a system that doesn’t just survive crises—it prevents them. A system where every staff member is supported, every patient receives the care they need, and every trust operates at its best.”
Nick Wilson, CEO of System C said:
2025 will be a pivotal moment in healthcare, with advancements like AI offering the potential to revolutionise delivery of care and create a catalyst for change.
I think we’ll see the focus shift towards optimising existing investments and using solutions to enhance efficiency and patient care, maximising current technology and integrating agile point solutions that make a real measurable difference.
I also think we will, or at least we should, see increasing focus on accountability for the delivery of promised benefits.
Given the seeming lack of Central Government priority currently for social care, I think individual organisations and regions will increasingly recognise the need to foster closer collaboration between the health and social care sector to address the growing impact of social care on healthcare budgets.
Ultimately, transformation requires a collaborative effort from healthcare providers, technology innovators and policymakers to navigate the difficult decisions ahead and ensure a sustainable future for health and social care.
I look forward to these debates coming to the fore in 2025.
