The NHS England board meeting this month discussed the need for consistency in digital delivery, an optimal operating model to balance local delivery with national standards, and noted the ongoing risks in digital, data, and technology, such as cyber threats and innovation uptake.
The board echo the focus of the 10-year plan on NHS App development, the single patient record, and procurement planning for 2026, with the Federated Data Platform also highlighted as supporting shared visibility across care pathways.
Consistency in digital delivery was a theme emerging from the data, digital and technology committee, along with cyber security, which remains a “significant concern within and beyond the NHS”.
The committee is working with the Department of Health and Social Care, focusing on developing the optimal operating model to balance local delivery with national standards, and discussing how to refine transition options for critical national systems.
Also discussed were strategic risks around aligning strategies and delivery plans including the 10-year plan, a revised risk around the “scale of change” required for the 10-year plan’s delivery, and ongoing high risks in digital, data and technology, such as cyber threats and innovation uptake.
Addressing behavioural and cultural barriers, particularly relating to digital transformation, was another factor “stressed” by the board, who proposed that committees, rather than the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee should own and manage specific risks to ensure they are “actively managed within the appropriate governance structures”. Looking ahead, future planning cycles should integrate risk mitigation and resource requirements to support prioritisation and alignment across finance, strategy, and delivery.
Elsewhere, the board discusses pandemic preparedness and the “Exercise Pegasus” cross-government simulation which will run to November, noting that a warm-up exercise “has already provided valuable insights into system resilience”. NHS England’s participation will focus on testing internal response capabilities, it continues, with learnings to be shared following completion.
Key points raised included the importance of “robust data infrastructure” such as tools developed to manage vaccine supply chains, and cyber resilience. “The board recommended a similar Tier 1 exercise focused on cyber threats, involving NHS England, ministers, and third-party partners,” it shares. “A ransomware simulation recently conducted in the South East region will inform future planning and feed into risk mitigation strategies.”
On data, NHS England reported improved transparency as a result of plans to distribute routine performance data directly to NHS colleagues to support local decision-making. It also noted plans to publish provider league tables and quality data through the NHS App.
Wider trend: NHS transformation
A joint executive team has been announced across the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, to offer unified leadership as part of the transition to a single organisation. The joint executive team will help bring policy and delivery from both organisations together, managing directors from related work areas from 3 November 2025. Joint regional teams have also been established to focus on local delivery, improvement, and performance.
The NHS England Transformation Directorate has launched a survey to understand experiences of clinical systems and digital tools in general practice. The survey aims to “guide national thinking” and highlight priority areas for “supplier improvement, shape future investment in general practice digital systems and support ICBs to plan local improvement initiatives,” NHS England noted.
In a letter to integrated care boards and NHS trusts, Sir James Mackey, chief executive officer at NHS England, has outlined expectations for providers on performance and finance for the year ahead, and how the 10 year health plan can be realised. Sir Mackey notes the particular focus on how “technology and digital solutions are going to be vital for longer term transformation and unlocking our productivity”, adding that “cutting back on investments in these areas to help with short-term challenges will undermine longer-term sustainability and improvement”.
