The government has now released its 168-page 10-Year Health Plan, designed to navigate what may be the most complex public system in the UK, and perhaps even the world. 

We’ve seen years of strategies, guidelines, and frameworks attempting to cut through this complexity, but many have offered only surface-level solutions to fixing very complicated problems, but this new 10-Year Health Plan takes a different approach. It targets root causes, offers a relatively humble timeline, and gives us hope that progress is on the horizon. 

The three “radical shifts” that underpin the strategy are now well publicised, moving us from: 

• Hospital to Community 

• Analogue to Digital 

• And Sickness to Prevention 

And whilst this offers us direction, we don’t yet have a map. So, we’ve taken a deep dive into the full 168 pages to explore how these shifts might actually be achieved. 

Here’s what we found: 

Digital by Default to create the to create the most digitally accessible health system in the world. 

It’s true: 

“The industries and businesses that thrive in the next 10 years will be those who anticipate and harness the potential of automation, equitably.” 

But what does this mean in practice? More tech? More complexity? More bureaucratic barriers to implement such tech? 

We don’t think so. 

When it comes to digital, the plan focuses on three main themes: 

• Eliminating analogue operations entirely 

•  Improving accessibility through data 

•  Freeing up staff time with better technology 

From where we sit, these 3 themes will be a successful proponent of progress, as tech is used to alleviate current burdens, rather than address future problems.  

But too often, digital solutions make things harder for both frontline staff and strategic leaders. Many traceability solutions introduce rigid systems with steep learning curves, hidden upgrade requirements, and little flexibility. Too many solutions demand teams bend around the system, rather than the system working for the team. 

These approaches are not just restrictive, they risk eroding trust in digital innovation itself. 

Does it need to be like this? No, it doesn’t. And whilst we’re leading our own change here at Athera, we have hope that this strategy will follow suit. 

Radical Transparency Requires the Right Tools to be Accountable 

“Transparency will be the foundation for our rigorous focus on high-quality care throughout the next 10 years.” 

“And we will harness the huge power of technology to boost quality in the next 10 years, from AI that predicts need, to data that supports personalisation.” 

To be transparent, we need data. And a lot of it. 

Data enables transparency, which in turn enables accountability. 

Truthfully, not many people like the word ‘accountable’. Usually, within the NHS, it means more burden. More audits, more paperwork, more pressure.  

But we don’t believe it should be this way, and neither does this strategy.  

We need solutions that make accountability easy, seamless, and define growth. It should be powered by systems that automatically record, track, and interpret, not systems that require hours of manual input and rework. 

Data is at the forefront of this plan; where there’s data, there’s complete oversight of hospital operations. From patient symptoms, to patient pathways throughout their stay, to the instruments used on patients and their own pathways, everything should be visible, traceable, and aligned. 

The plan even proposes league tables to compare quality indicators, but we say let’s use league tables as engines of inspiration. Success is to be shared in this new era of healthcare.

Data is inherently collaborative. 

That’s why we’re working on our own ways to share outcomes/success stories, compare real-world data, and help trusts accelerate their digital maturity.  

Collaboration that Breaks Down Silos 

And speaking of working together for success, collaboration and provider partnership is a key theme in this strategy. 

Healthcare should be inherently collaborative; it’s an industry built upon intrinsic passion. 

And things are changing in traceability. How do we know? Well, we’re proud to be a part of that change: 

The 10-Year Health Plan acknowledges the need for meaningful collaboration, not just among NHS institutions, but with commercial partners too. It highlights a core issue: 

“Too often, the NHS has tried to get around its fragmentation by creating ever more complicated schemes to support collaboration, without ever actually breaking down its own institutional siloes.” 

If the system itself is siloed, technology must be part of the solution, not another layer of complexity. 

Take the example of Theatres and SSD: two departments that rely heavily on each other, yet often operate in isolation. Different systems, different workflows, different protocols, and very little integration. 

But when tech like FingerPrint can come in and bridge that gap, without hindering how staff function, the results are significant. Better communication, greater operational oversight, and measurable savings in time, cost, and staff resources. 

Are we Fit for the Future?  

Change doesn’t happen in isolation, and with the sheer size and complexity of the NHS, it can’t. We’re thrilled that the government’s goals align with our vision, and we want to enable you to make the most of this direction given by this strategy. You’re no longer in this alone; providers like Athera Healthcare are taking the lead in breaking down silos, digitally advancing teams, and changing the way the NHS operates.  

If you want to learn more about what we’re doing, visit here or email marketing@atherahealthcare.com