How three big policy shifts are being put into practice in the NHS
28 November 2025
The NHS is entering a decade of profound transformation. Fit for the Future - the government’s and NHS England’s 10 Year Health Plan - outlines three major shifts that are already reshaping how health and care are delivered.
Over the coming years, health and care providers, including Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), local authorities, and NHS trusts will be expected to shift their focus:
· from hospital to community,
· from analogue to digital
and
· from illness to prevention.
This article explores what each shift means in practice, how it is being implemented, and the technologies enabling this transition.
The three shifts in practice
This year’s Healthcare Excellence Through Technology (HETT) conference offered early insight into how providers are translating these shifts into practice. Discussions focused on redesigning care pathways and embedding integrated digital approaches to support a more modern, connected, and patient-centred NHS.
Looking ahead, digital health partners and population health platforms will play a central role in aligning with national priorities, supporting innovation, and enabling better outcomes. Graphnet’s integrated Shared Care Record, population health, and remote monitoring platforms are central to this evolution, enabling a single, real-time view of an individual’s care journey, whether they’re in hospital, in the community, or at home.
From hospital to community
What this means
Increasing demand and rising waiting lists are driving the shift of routine, diagnostic, follow-up, and rehabilitative care into local neighbourhood settings. As hospital teams focus on more specialised treatment, community teams deliver care closer to home via primary care services, virtual wards, home recovery, and local health hubs.
How it's been implemented
· Neighbourhood health hubs: Local centres with extended hours, integrating NHS services with social care, employment support, and the voluntary sector (GOV.UK).
· Integrated Care System (ICS) models: Closer alignment between acute, community, primary care, and local authority teams to deliver joined-up care beyond hospital walls (Royal College of Physicians).
· Digital and remote care: Expanding virtual wards, remote monitoring, and community diagnostics to support care closer to home (HETT Insights).
Challenges
· Workforce capacity and infrastructure needs
· Risk of service fragmentation without interoperability and shared governance
· Monitoring outcomes and managing risk across distributed care settings
How Graphnet support this
Graphnet connects acute, community, mental health, primary care, and social care services through interoperable platforms and integrated workflows. Virtual wards, remote monitoring, and referral tools support care delivery outside hospital settings. ICSs use Graphnet to track transitions, monitor outcomes, and enable continuous feedback from discharge through to community recovery.
From analogue to digital
What this means
Despite progress, many services still rely on manual processes and fragmented systems. Transitioning to digital-first care requires modern electronic records, a Shared Care Record, interoperability, predictive analytics, remote monitoring, and patient-facing apps - all of which support safer, more efficient, and better-connected care.
How it's been implemented
· Infrastructure upgrades: Improved connectivity, cloud technologies, cybersecurity frameworks, and digital estates to underpin new models of care (HETT Insights).
· Shared Care Records and interoperability: A national priority enabling single-point access to up-to-date information across organisations and reducing fragmentation in care. (BBH).
· Digital frontline tools: AI scribes, triage solutions, mobile apps, and remote monitoring to reduce administrative burdens and boost productivity (HETT Insights).
· Patient empowerment: Enhanced app capabilities allow people to book, consult remotely, manage prescriptions, and monitor their own health.
Challenges
· Variation in digital maturity across regions
· Workforce adoption, training, and change management
· Data security, privacy, and governance
· Investment ahead of measurable returns
How Graphnet supports this
Graphnet acts as a digital enablement partner, providing interoperable infrastructure, embedded clinical workflows, secure data sharing, and population health analytics. Our solutions help bridge legacy systems with modern care models, supporting safe and scalable digital adoption.
From illness to prevention
What this means
The shift from reactive treatment to proactive prevention focuses on identifying risks earlier, supporting health behaviours, and reducing avoidable admissions. Preventative approaches address lifestyle, early warning signs, and the social determinants of health to improve outcomes and reduce demand on acute services.
How it's been implemented
· Population health analytics: Risk stratification, predictive modelling, and segmentation help identify people most at risk, such as older adults likely to experience frailty or acute deterioration (BMJ).
· Community prevention programmes: Local hubs offering services such as smoking cessation, weight management, debt support, and social prescribing to address underlying drivers of health (GOV.UK).
· Digital and genomic tools: Wearables, remote monitoring, genomic screening, and digital self-management tools support early detection and intervention (HETT Insights). However, data sharing and integrated care planning remain essential to making these tools clinically valuable.
Challenges
· Health systems still primarily designed for treatment, not prevention
· Delayed return on investment for preventive initiatives
· Variability in evidence strength and risk of digital exclusion
How Graphnet supports this
Graphnet enables ICSs to identify at-risk individuals via stratification, detect care gaps, and deliver earlier interventions. Our digital pathways support prevention-focused care planning, multi-agency coordination, and patient empowerment through integrated engagement tools.
Why these shifts matter for Graphnet and the ICS ecosystem
These shifts align with Graphnet’s core mission: enabling joined-up, person-centred care across the system. ICSs that strengthen community care, embrace digital-first practice, and embed preventative models will be best positioned to deliver sustainable services. Graphnet provides the infrastructure and intelligence required to support this transformation at scale.
Key barriers and professional considerations
Successful delivery requires strong leadership, cross-organisational coordination, and a focus on digital adoption. Data quality and system interoperability must be prioritised to prevent fragmentation. Funding models are evolving to support prevention and community-based care, but robust evaluation frameworks will be essential.
Graphnet helps systems track digital uptake, care transitions, and patient outcomes — ensuring transformation efforts are measurable and sustainable.
Actionable opportunities and recommended focus areas
Graphnet can support transformation by:
· Demonstrating impact through evidence-based case studies
· Strengthening partnerships with ICSs, digital partners, and local care organisations
· Providing data insights, measurement frameworks, and workflow support
· Embedding equity and risk management to ensure inclusive transformation
Summary
While delivery of the 10 Year Health Plan is complex, it presents a significant opportunity for health and care providers to support systems in building more proactive, connected models of care. By aligning solutions with national priorities and supporting clients beyond the technology layer, we can help turn policy ambition into practical delivery, contributing to a more sustainable, patient-centred NHS.
Find out how Graphnet’s Shared Care Record, population health and remote monitoring platforms can support your organisation to deliver these shifts in practice. Contact us to learn more.
