NHS 10 Year Plan Chapter One: The Overview

• Richard Tuson
• /
• 3 Jul 2025

NHS 10-Year Plan – What it Means for MedTech and Market Access

The NHS 10-Year Plan has now been published. It is ambitious, at times radical, and signals the most significant shift in health system architecture and policy since the creation of ICSs.

For MedTech companies and those working in health innovation, it offers real opportunity—but not without risk.

A Changing Landscape for MedTech

The document marks a turning point in how the NHS intends to appraise, adopt and fund health technology. Key shifts include:

Mandated funding through NICE for selected technologies From April 2026, NICE will expand its technology appraisal programme to include some devices, diagnostics and digital tools, applying the same mandated NHS funding that currently covers medicines. This is potentially transformative—creating a clear reimbursement pathway, provided the evidence base is strong.

A move away from short-term payments Year-of-care tariffs will replace episodic activity-based payments. Providers will be paid a single fee to manage an individual’s care across all settings. This aligns incentives around prevention, long-term condition management and avoiding hospital admission—an environment in which MedTech can thrive.

A longer financial horizon The plan includes a shift to multi-year financial planning, with 3-year revenue and 4-year capital settlements. A 3% annual spend requirement for innovation and transformation will be introduced from 2026–27. This could finally move the system away from year-end fire-fighting and towards longer-term investment in outcomes.

System Reform, Procurement and the Path Ahead

There are big structural changes ahead—scrapping ICS partnership boards, appointing elected mayors to ICBs, and allowing strong Foundation Trusts to become Integrated Health Organisations. This will affect how commissioning, procurement and service redesign are done.

Procurement will be reshaped. The NHS App is to become the national “front door”, integrating patient-managed care, and hosting a digital marketplace. Technologies that can prove interoperability, outcomes, and value will be favoured.

But there are still major challenges:

• Capital budgets remain flat
• System disruption may slow adoption
• No clear innovation scaling support is yet in place

Our Take

The language of this plan aligns with what many of us have long argued for: stability, clarity, and a system that rewards value. But while the vision is compelling, delivery will depend on what follows in the next 12 months.

At Health Analytical Solutions, we’ll be following that detail closely—and sharing what it means for innovators, investors and system leaders.

Read the full NHS plan

Fit for the Future: 10-Year Strategic Vision for the NHS (GOV.UK)

This is Chapter One of our explainer series. More to follow as the implementation picture develops.

If you have a technology aligned with the priorities of the NHS 10-Year Plan, now is the time to act. We can help you navigate the evolving access landscape, shape your value story, and prepare for the next steps in your journey towards NHS adoption.

Get in touch: enquiry@healthanalyticalsolutions.co.uk or visit https://www.healthanalyticalsolutions.co.uk/services to explore how we can support you.