Overview
The Health Tech Alliance, a coalition of health technology companies and stakeholders within the NHS, has published a report emphasizing the need for reform in NHS procurement practices.
Key Findings
The report, titled ‘Recommendations for NHS Health Tech Procurement Reform’, was released on 17 July 2025. It outlines a strategy for establishing a procurement system that is:
- Streamlined
- Transparent
- Innovation-friendly
This reform aims to enhance patient outcomes and provide long-term value for the NHS.
Context
This report follows the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, published on 3 July 2025, which introduces standardized value-based procurement guidelines for devices and digital products starting in early 2026.
Value-based procurement focuses on reducing the overall costs of healthcare while maximizing financial, efficiency, patient, and environmental benefits.
Statements from Leadership
Dame Barbara Hakin, chair of the Health Tech Alliance and former deputy chief executive of NHS England, stated:
“The commitment to improved value-based procurement practices in the 10 Year Plan is a significant advancement, highlighting the necessity for a more strategic approach to equipping the NHS. Our report consolidates insights from clinicians, industry experts, and NHS leaders to create a practical roadmap for procurement reform that prioritizes impactful technologies and enhances patient care.”
Challenges Identified
The report identifies that complex bureaucracy and fragmented processes hinder the adoption of beneficial health technologies. It proposes a roadmap to enhance procurement systems.
Recommendations
Key recommendations from the report include:
- Streamlining central procurement processes to reduce administrative burdens.
- Prioritizing value-based procurement that focuses on long-term outcomes.
- Establishing a central portal and knowledge hub for SMEs and innovators.
- Enhancing early engagement and knowledge sharing among NHS organizations.
- Allocating dedicated innovation budgets at trust and integrated care system (ICS) levels.
- Improving coordination across ICSs to minimize fragmentation and promote best practices.
- Investing in education and training to foster a culture of innovation and value-based decision-making within NHS procurement teams.
Workshop Insights
The report is based on a series of workshops conducted between July 2024 and February 2025, which gathered input from health tech industry representatives, central health bodies, and local procurement leaders to identify challenges and propose solutions for more efficient procurement processes.
Future Developments
Baroness Gillian Merron, health minister, announced during the Health Tech Alliance’s Parliament and HealthTech Conference on 4 February 2025, that guidance to simplify health technology procurement is currently being tested by NHS trusts and is expected to be implemented in 2025.