The second week of June was a pivotal one for the NHS. Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her spending review and set out the funding that Whitehall departments, public services, and public projects can expect over the next three years.
Meanwhile, NHS leaders met at ConfedExpo in Manchester and were given a tantalising insight into what a new operating model for the NHS may look like, ahead of the publication of the 10 Year Health Plan. But what was said? What should health tech suppliers make of it?
And how should you adjust your intelligence, marketing, PR and sales activity to respond? In this blog, you’ll find four key points to be aware of, four take aways to consider, and four ways that Highland Marketing can help you to succeed in this exciting and rapidly changing sector.
The NHS was one of the winners from the spending review, with Rachel Reeves announcing an additional £29 billion for the service, or an average real-terms increase of 3% a year. For this, it will be expected to deliver productivity improvements of 2% a year and the 18-week referral to treatment time target. Think-tanks warned tough choices will still need to be made in the 10 Year Health Plan in July.
The take-away for health tech vendors:
The government wants to invest in the NHS and in reform; but in a tough financial climate, providers are likely to be focused on cost savings and waiting lists in the short term. Suppliers with productivity solutions should find a keen audience, but other vendors may find themselves playing a long game, in which the right positioning and visibility are key.
How we can help you:
Highland Marketing’s experienced team and industry advisors mean we are uniquely placed to help you research the market, refine your positioning, and put together strategic campaigns that will keep you front of mind with potential customers.
Digital was another winner from the spending review, with the Treasury deciding to spend £10 billion on NHS technology and transformation, and health and social care secretary Wes Streeting promising it will not be raided this time. Treasury documents suggest the priority will be big, publicly visible projects, including a single digital care record, and investment in the NHS App.
The take-away for health tech vendors:
The Treasury’s decision to invest in NHS IT is a vote of confidence in the industry. But the space for ideas about how to spend the money is crowded, and suppliers will need to make sure their voice is heard to gain backing and momentum.
How Highland Marketing can help:
Highland Marketing has more than 20 years’ experience of influencing health tech leaders. We can help you craft public affairs and PR campaigns that will establish you as a thought leader with key influencers and decision makers.
The NHS that spends this money will look different to the NHS today. At ConfedExpo, Sir James Mackey from NHS England said there will be a slimmed down centre, an “earned autonomy” regime, a come-back for foundation trusts, vertical integration between acute, community and primary care, and new “neighbourhood providers.”
The take-away for health tech vendors:
New structures will mean new customers, and there will be opportunities for suppliers to develop systems to enable them manage their operations effectively, while using AI to streamline workflows and drive down costs. To benefit, suppliers will need to make sure they are aligned with the market at a local level and ready to work with early adopters.
How we can help:
Highland Marketing’s PR expertise is built on a deep understanding of the media landscape and the evolving role of social media. But we also understand the value of personal contact. We can help you to craft compelling content, amplify it on social media, and use our sales acceleration team to get it in front of the right people. Plus, we have been working on a new idea for direct engagement: call us for details.
The health service will also be expected to change the way it works day to day, moving out of expensive, legacy facilities and using technology to shake up consultations, outpatient services, and interactions with patients. Health secretary Wes Streeting told ConfedExpo: “There will be radical implications for the service, with more care delivered on the high street, digitally, and through the NHS App in ten years’ time.”
The take-away for health tech vendors:
The NHS has started to adopt digital consultations, digital outpatients, virtual wards, and patient self service through the NHS App and portals. But there will be huge opportunities in completing the implementation of these technologies – and then going further. To succeed, suppliers will need to work with early-adopter customers, to show others what can be achieved, and build support among clinicians and patients.
How we can help:
Highland Marketing has always believed that your customers are your best advocates, and we can help them to help you tell your story, through compelling webinars, case studies, data-driven content, and media releases.
The spending review found additional funding for the NHS, even if difficult choices remain, and the Treasury has been persuaded to put £10 billion into health tech over three years. New NHS structures will be developed to spend this money, and they will be expected to work differently and digitally.
All that should open up significant opportunities for health tech suppliers, at a national, provider, and innovation level. But to succeed, they will need: excellent market research; great positioning; a voice in the national debate; alignment with local priorities; and customer proof points and advocacy.
Highland Marketing is uniquely placed to support companies in this rapidly evolving landscape, thanks to our mix of intelligence, marketing, PR, sales acceleration, and direct contact services. Our contact details are here, and we’d love to talk.
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