“We need to move from crisis response to early action” – health tech leaders react to UK Budget
The UK’s 2025 Autumn Budget has outlined a series of measures with direct implications for the health tech sector, signalling a renewed push to modernise NHS infrastructure and expand tech-enabled care.
At the centre of the announcement is £300m in new capital funding for NHS technology, positioned as critical to upgrading digital systems, strengthening data infrastructure and supporting the rollout of tech-enabled clinical and operational tools across the service.
Alongside this investment, the government confirmed plans to build 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres across England. Designed to integrate primary, community and pharmacy services under one roof, the centres aim to shift more care closer to home and ease pressure on hospitals by expanding community-based access points.
The Budget also sets out rising overall health and social care spend over the next Spending Review period, with the Treasury forecasting real-terms growth. While much of this funding remains focused on stabilising core services and tackling the backlog, the combination of targeted tech investment and new community infrastructure points to a broader strategy: modernisation through digital transformation and redesigned care pathways.
For digital health, medtech and women’s health innovators, the signals are clear. The government is betting on technology and integrated care models to rebuild capacity and improve system performance — creating opportunities for new tools, partnerships and data-driven approaches across the ecosystem.
We spoke to leaders from across the UK’s health tech landscape for their reactions.
Maxine Eunson, head of public sector at 8×8, said:
“The UK government recently announced a NHS ‘online hospital’ plan to help cut down on waitlists, which will involve a massive expansion of the NHS app. Of course, with any project of this size, there are questions around what it will take in order for this idea to become a successful reality.
“At its core, the expansion of online health services is much like the expansion of any customer experience. So thankfully, we’re not starting from scratch, and we already know the best practices. A report on navigating the shift in CX and building long-term sustainable CX practices outlined that the three keys to CX-driven growth are: human-first, AI, and consolidation.
“We’ve already seen examples of success at other hospitals, which, in rolling out human-first and AI-driven tools, saw twice as many patient calls handled without downtime. Zero calls were missed due to improved call routing, and over £100,000 was saved by optimising hospital office space.
“Both the private and public sectors have seen improved reliability and compliance, boosted staff welfare and productivity, and have increased cost efficiency through the implementation of customer experience tools like this. So the question isn’t whether it’s a sound idea; it is. The question is how the UK government will orchestrate and roll out such a massive tool. We’ve seen it work in relatively isolated cases; now we will just need to take our learnings and apply them on a much larger scale.
“The other question that needs to be asked here is: as we move towards the PSTN deadline of January 2027, which has considerable costs associated with it, where is the NHS going to be able to fund fully moving away from PSTN and making the online hospital plan realise its full potential.”
Nadine Hachach-Haram, CEO of Proximie, said:
“The Budget underlines a simple truth that the NHS has to deliver more care, faster than ever, with a workforce under real strain.
The fastest route to this isn’t asking teams to work harder. It’s removing the friction we’ve normalised in the Operating Room (OR) by embedding real-time intelligence into everyday workflows.
The OBR’s view that AI may deliver only modest productivity gains in the near term reinforces what really matters now. Stretched healthcare teams need practical, easily integrated technology that pays back quickly and ultimately helps to reduce admin, improves surgical workflows, and helps teams run safer, smoother lists.
The NHS doesn’t need more pilots now. It really needs solutions that integrate, scale, and provide value from day one, with OR visibility and orchestration that helps decisions happen earlier, and prevents delays becoming cancellations.”
Phil Day, superintendent pharmacist at Pharmacy2U, said:
“The government redoubled its commitment to ‘renew our NHS’ in today’s Budget, with the promise of more nurses, GPs and appointments. But it was the announcement of 350 new Neighbourhood Health Centres that will probably live longest in the memory. After several promising pilots, we’re told the first 100 will be up and running in the next five years.
“The closer we can bring care to where patients live, the more likely it is that they will get timely and effective interventions, and at a time when community pharmacies are disappearing from many high streets, these health centres will be a welcome intervention.
“We also heard on Monday about an additional £300m investment in digital services, which should help to accelerate the shift towards a more connected, efficient and patient-centred health service. It appears that the emphasis for this investment will be in hospitals, so I would love to know how much of this investment will improve access to primary care, at a time when the sector is being asked to do more to triage patients before they go to hospital.
“Pharmacies have long been at the heart of communities, offering personalised advice and clinical support. Targeted investment in technology to strengthen communication between care providers, and to improve digital-first pharmacy services, could make all the difference.”
Kat James, managing director of Consultant Connect, said:
“Today’s decision to back the rollout of neighbourhood health centres is bold and overdue. Bringing GPs, diagnostics, community services and mental health support together under one roof is exactly the kind of reform the NHS needs to serve patients more effectively in the community.
“We already work with half the NHS, and we see every day that if you connect community and hospital teams early for virtual advice, community clinicians identify the correct pathway first time – and for over 70% of those cases it means they stay in the neighbourhood. Hospital becomes the last resort – not the first option.”
Mark Hitchman, managing director at Canon Medical Systems UK, said:
“Today’s Autumn Budget confirmed £300m in new capital funding for NHS technology – a welcome step. Alongside plans for 250 new Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs), with over 100 to be delivered by 2030. This signals real intent to expand care closer to home.
“To make it count, we must invest where it matters most:
Training. People. Diagnostics.
“The NHS 10-Year Plan rightly focuses on early detection and care in the community. NHCs can be central to that vision, but only if they’re equipped with the technology and workforce to deliver it.
“We’re already seeing what’s possible. Waiting lists have been cut by over 200,000 – the biggest reduction in more than 15 years – with 5.2 million extra appointments and 135,000 more cancer diagnoses within the 28-day target.
“Productivity in hospital care such as A&E and surgery is up 2.4% this year. Hitting 2% productivity growth could unlock £17bn in savings over the next three years to reinvest in patient care in England.
“Diagnostics are a critical enabler of that productivity. Around 80% of patient pathways rely on diagnostics, yet diagnostic imaging teams are under pressure. Demand keeps rising, but staffing hasn’t kept pace – driving delays, missed diagnoses, and pressure across the whole system.
“Technology can help change that. Smarter imaging tools and AI-supported reporting can boost capacity, reduce backlogs, and free up clinical time. And when diagnostics are embedded locally – as we’ve seen with Community Diagnostic Centres – patients are seen sooner, and outcomes improve.
“But none of this works without people. If we’re serious about building a more sustainable NHS, we need to move from crisis response to early action. That means investing where it counts: in skills, in teams, and in diagnostics that deliver real, long-term impact for patients and staff.”
Julian Coe, managing director at X-on Health, said:
“The investment should help embed the foundations required for NHS transition to digital, aligned to the aspirations of the 10 Year Health Plan. Likewise, the aim to deliver 100 neighbourhood health centres by 2030 shows a welcome focus on access and local integration at a neighbourhood level.
“However, investment alone won’t guarantee success and the neighbourhood model approach is a crucial test of whether the NHS can genuinely integrate primary care at the frontline as per the 10 Year Plan. That depends on getting the fundamentals right: shared infrastructure, consistent patient education, and referral pathways that work across every organisation involved.”
Kath Dean, president at Cloud21, said:
“The impact will depend on smart investment, not just spending. Funding must go toward solutions that integrate into care pathways, while supporting clinicians and patients, rather than adding more disconnected systems.
“Technology alone won’t transform care. Real change happens when workflows, behaviours and culture evolve alongside digital tools. That’s why empowering staff is so important in giving teams the confidence, capability and support to adopt new ways of working so technology becomes a trusted partner, not an extra burden. Ultimately, the goal is better outcomes, not more systems. Reducing waiting times, improving experience and delivering sustainable efficiency will require collaboration, training and strong leadership at every level.”
Samantha Fay, CEO of SiSU Health, added:
“The commitment to over 100 Neighbourhood Health Centres is a positive step toward a more accessible, efficient and preventative health system. Digital tools that streamline admin and improve information flow will support more coordinated, end-to-end pathways for patients. To make the biggest impact, this must be paired with a major acceleration in community-based health screening so risks are identified early and care can be personalised.
“High-quality, real-time health data is central to this by empowering individuals to understand their own health while giving the NHS better insight into population needs. These measures will create the foundation for a system that delivers prevention at scale and genuinely puts people at the centre of their care.”
Paul Sanders, president UK and Ireland at RLDatix, responded:
“The Government’s renewed investment in NHS technology is encouraging, its success will be judged not by spend, but by impact. Digital funding must strengthen clinical capacity, workforce experience and underpin quality where care is delivered. Technology that does not improve visibility and control of risk, patient need or staffing pressure will not move the dial.
“Neighbourhood Health Centres represent more than new buildings; they demand a fundamental shift in how care is organised. Today workforce deployment is structured around shifts and professional tribes but neighbourhood delivery requires skills-based, multi- professional teams working around patients and place, not rotas and hierarchy. To make this model safe, efficient and sustainable, digital workforce intelligence must give clear visibility of skills, availability and demand in real time so teams can be deployed proactively rather than reactively.
“This budget offers an opportunity to reduce administrative burden and redesign how work flows across the NHS. If technology becomes a driver of insight rather than another layer of process, it can free clinical time, reduce harm and build confidence in every care setting.
“The measure of success should be improved outcomes, not IT deployment. Patients, and clinicians, must feel the difference.”
Mark Leftwich, managing director at Philips UKI, said:
“With public finances tight, every pound invested in health must work harder, delivering visible improvements for patients and real value for taxpayers. Patients are still waiting too long, staff are exhausted, and outdated equipment is slowing progress on tackling NHS waiting lists.
“Modernising care is a shared responsibility, for government, the NHS and industry alike. Our Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust pilot at one of the Trust’s Community Diagnostic Centres shows the impact of extending MRI scanning into the evening with remote radiographer support – 1,356 additional patients were scanned and more radiographers were trained in less time.
“The focus now must be on scaling what works. Smarter use of data, digital tools and AI-enabled imaging can support staff and give patients quicker access to the answers they n”
Paul Statham, CEO of Sentai, said:
“The Chancellor’s focus on healthcare and welfare, and the role of technology and AI today is welcome – but ambition without clarity won’t deliver change. Preventative technology in social care has the potential to save the public purse over £11bn* if properly scaled, yet the government hasn’t addressed the real barriers to adoption or explained how new tools will actually reach the people who need them.
“Our own research shows a gap between knowing what the challenge is, and taking action. Four in ten adults recognise that delaying support increases risks, yet almost half of older people never access help at all – often because of fear of losing independence, or not wanting to be a burden. That said, the vast majority (79%) believe technology could be the answer. Simple tools can make a big difference. For example, Sentai is a conversational AI companion that helps keep people connected while still maintaining independence through useful reminders, e.g. when to take medication. If the government is serious about reform, practical plans that get proven technology into homes and care providers is key.”
Orlando Agrippa, founder and CEO of Sanius Health, said:
“The chancellor’s technology commitment, reform agenda and investment in integrated neighbourhood services is a transformative step for patient care and health equity. This isn’t just a stopgap for backlog, it could be a real moment for equitable, tech-enabled, community-led care.”
