Last week Visions4Health kicked off its first fireside chat of 2025 and it could not have come at a more important time. With the Operational NHS Planning Support Pack and Innovation Ecosystem Review in circulation, and the 2025/26 Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance now published, the key question at the heart of the discussion was:
How can the NHS strike the right balance between its immediate operational and financial priorities with the need for forward-thinking innovation?
Unpacking all of this for us were three Visions4Health Healthcare System Council members representing the following roles:
- Performance and Transformation, ICB
- Divisional General Manager, Acute Trust
- Finance, Acute Trust
The insightful and honest discussion explored the role of efficiency and productivity, workforce management, medicines optimisation, system-led opportunities as well as the need to empower patients and embrace new ways of working. So how do these themes collectively aim to enhance the planning process, ensure accountability, and drive efficiency and productivity within the NHS for the 2025/26 fiscal year? And what does this mean for the life sciences industry? Here is what we learnt:
Streamlined Planning Process: There is a clear emphasis on avoiding a drawn-out planning process for 2025/26 – plans to be finalised by end of March 2025 and contracts signed on expected year performance by end of May 2025.
Collaboration and Integration: ICBs will coordinate system-wide planning to ensure integration across providers, focusing on developing operational plans that deliver national and local priorities.
Efficiency and Productivity: Unsurprisingly, the focus is on maximising productivity and efficiency opportunities, and the need to have quantified opportunities provided at the provider and system levels.
Workforce Management: Reducing reliance on temporary staff and implementing effective workforce control strategies.
Optimising Medicines Use: Clear prioritisation of medicines efficiency through a biosimilar first approach, embracing biosimilar switch and generic switch opportunities.
System-Led Opportunities: Leveraging system enabled initiatives to reduce unwarranted variation, maximising opportunities for Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs), and achieving best value outcomes.
Patient Empowerment and Engagement: There is a growing need to support patients – to support ‘waiting well’ initiatives by empowering patients to manage their health effectively while awaiting care. Applying successful strategies from cancer management, such as structured care pathways, digital solutions and proactive patient communication, can deliver benefits across other disease areas.
What this means for the life sciences industry…
These themes highlight opportunities for life sciences companies to align with NHS priorities and deliver value through targeted solutions.
Partnering with the NHS to reduce unwarranted variation, delivering best-value outcomes and optimising processes offers opportunities for collaborative working and demonstrates commitment to improving patient care.
Life sciences have a critical role in empowering patients through education, tools for self-management, and adherence support. Through working collaboratively with the NHS, life sciences can support the NHS in delivering its priorities to improve patient outcomes.
Life sciences companies can bring insights from cancer management, such as educational resources, self-management tools, and adherence strategies to other disease areas, enhancing patient outcomes.
What is a Visions4Health fireside chat and how can I participate?
First launched in the July 2024, Visions4Health hosts an ongoing series of virtual fireside chats – informal yet structured discussions between a Visions4Health moderator and specific healthcare system stakeholders that sit on Visions4Health’s Healthcare System Council. At each session, a ‘hot topic’ relevant to both the NHS and life sciences sector will be discussed under Chatham House rules. Selected industry attendees will have the opportunity to debate, question, challenge, ideate and gain real world advice and insight from those at the ‘coal face.’
If you would like to join future fireside chats, please complete the Contact Form on our website. Visit here to find out more about the Visions4Health Healthcare System Council.
