The UK is at a pivotal moment in its digital journey. With more than £40 billion of fresh commitments from global technology leaders like Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, Salesforce and OpenAI, the country has earned a mandate to prove that it can convert tech investment into meaningful, sustainable transformation, according to leading UK CIO and BCS Fellow, Richard Corbridge.
Richard Corbridge commented: “The next phase of UK technology growth depends not only on AI algorithms and software, but also on the infrastructure, skills, and trust frameworks that enable them to thrive. Energy resilience, advanced connectivity, and ethical governance will determine whether the UK becomes a leader in digital innovation or falls behind faster-moving competitors.
“But there is another big question: where do we test these investments at scale? Where can the UK demonstrate, under the most demanding conditions, that new technologies can be trusted, adopted, and embedded into everyday life? The answer is clear: the NHS. As the largest integrated health system in the world, the NHS offers the ultimate proving ground – a living laboratory where new digital solutions meet the realities of scale, complexity, and public trust.”
1. Establish and enforce common standards
Corbridge continued: “Every NHS clinician can tell a story of wasted time navigating multiple incompatible systems. Enforcing common standards is the only way to end this. By adopting Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) frameworks for health records, coding systems such as SNOMED CT for clinical coding, and strict procurement rules that reward interoperability, the NHS is creating an environment where systems can talk to each other, reliably, securely, and at scale.
“But this isn’t just a healthcare challenge. If we make the NHS the gold standard for interoperability, then every UK start-up building to NHS specifications is effectively building to a world-class benchmark. What begins as healthcare infrastructure becomes a UK export standard, opening global markets for our healthtech and beyond.”
2. Invest in core digital infrastructure
“Improving NHS interoperability depends on strong digital foundations,” Corbridge added. “Too many trusts still rely on outdated systems that cannot connect with each other, leading to delays and errors. Upgrading to modern, cloud-based platforms would make sharing data more reliable and secure. Expanding programmes like the Federated Data Platform can link local systems while allowing trusts to keep control of their information. Basic infrastructure also matters: every hospital, GP surgery, and community clinic needs fast, stable internet and reliable hardware. Without these essentials, even the best digital tools won’t work effectively. Investing in core infrastructure is the groundwork for a safer, connected NHS.
“To be a truly effective testbed, the NHS needs stable foundations: fast networks, cloud-first architecture, and modern platforms that enable rather than hinder progress. And this is far more than a healthcare upgrade. If the UK can demonstrate how to modernise digital infrastructure across the NHS – one of the most complex operational environments in the world – then we prove the resilience of our cloud, AI, and cybersecurity industries. The Federated Data Platform, for example, is not just about healthcare analytics; it is a real-time national laboratory for federated data models. If it can work for the NHS, it can work anywhere.”
3. Create a national “digital spine”
Corbridge continued: “A “digital spine” that gives every patient one secure health record that follows them from GP, to hospital, to community care would act as the central nervous system of NHS data. Instead of juggling multiple logins and disconnected systems, all clinicians could view the same up-to-date information. Building on tools like the NHS App and Summary Care Record, this approach would cut duplication, reduce delays, and improve safety. Role-based access would ensure only the right staff see the right information, creating a connected system where patients move smoothly across the NHS without repeating their story.
“The benefit is obvious for healthcare, but the implications reach much further. If we can build a trusted, role-based, identity-led digital backbone for the NHS, it becomes a model for every public service. Education, welfare, and justice could all learn from a healthcare digital spine. Done right, this becomes a UK export in its own right: the governance, technology, and security framework for integrated national services.”
4. Workforce training and culture change
“To enhance digital transformation, the NHS must invest in workforce training, equipping clinicians with skills to use new systems and understand data-sharing and patient safety benefits,” Corbridge added. “Engaging front-line staff in the design of interoperable digital solutions is crucial to ensure usability and reduce resistance. Strengthening digital leadership by appointing more Chief Clinical Information Officers (CCIOs) and Chief Nursing Information Officers (CNIOs) will help champion adoption at a local level. Together, these measures foster a culture that embraces technology, improves patient care, and ensures that digital initiatives are effectively implemented and sustained across the NHS.
“Technology only works if people can use it. And training the 1.4 million strong NHS workforce in digital competencies doesn’t just improve patient care. It creates one of the largest digitally literate workforces in the world. That is an economic dividend in itself, giving the UK a pool of professionals who understand data, AI, and digital workflows, even beyond healthcare. Changing culture is the hardest step, but also the one with the greatest pay-off. A workforce that embraces technology turns the NHS from a reluctant adopter into a global innovator.”
5. Governance and incentives
Corbridge continued: “The NHS should strengthen governance and incentives to improve digital interoperability. Clear, transparent patient consent models are essential, so individuals understand and control how their data is shared. Progress on interoperability benchmarks should be linked to funding allocations, incentivising compliance and encouraging consistent adoption across organisations. Robust cybersecurity standards are of course also critical to protect shared systems from evolving threats, learning from past incidents such as the 2017 WannaCry attack. Together, these measures will ensure that digital systems are safe, trusted, and effectively integrated, promoting patient confidence and supporting the NHS’s broader digital transformation goals set out in the recent 10-year plan.
“No innovation will succeed without trust, which is why clear consent models, robust cybersecurity, and transparency must sit at the heart of NHS innovation. Funding should also be tied to demonstrable progress against interoperability and safety benchmarks, ensuring that the right behaviours are rewarded. The NHS has already learned painful lessons from events like the 2017 WannaCry attack. But if we now demonstrate resilience at this scale, the UK becomes a global leader in cyber-secure, trustworthy innovation.”
6. Partner with industry, but on NHS terms
“Lastly, the NHS should leverage partnerships with industry to accelerate digital innovation while maintaining control and avoiding vendor lock-in,” Corbridge concluded. “Promoting open APIs ensures data can flow seamlessly across different systems, regardless of supplier, supporting interoperability. Importantly, encouraging small and medium-sized healthtech companies by providing innovation “sandboxes” allows testing of new solutions in a safe, controlled environment. This fosters a competitive, flexible ecosystem that drives technological progress, improves patient care, and ensures the NHS can adopt cutting-edge digital tools without being dependent on a single provider, ultimately supporting a more sustainable and resilient digital infrastructure.
“The future lies in creating ecosystems where start-ups and scale-ups can test and prove their ideas within the NHS and then take them to the world. The NHS provides the ultimate sandbox and proving ground to demonstrate where and how this latest $40 billion investment in UK technology can deliver real change. By addressing these six core priorities – common standards, infrastructure, a national digital spine, workforce culture, governance, and industry partnerships – the NHS can become far more than a healthcare system. It will become the flagship for the UK’s digital economy, showing the world how to translate investment into innovation that changes lives.”
About:
Seasoned CIO and British Computer Society Fellow, Richard Corbridge is an experienced digital leader, recognised as a transformative technology leader by the Global CIO Forum Committee for his merits and achievements.
