With the Autumn Budget fast approaching, NHS leaders across England are navigating a familiar set of pressures: financial gaps, rising demand, workforce shortages and persistent inequalities. At the same time, expectations around recovery, efficiency and transformation continue to grow.

From our work with Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), providers, local authorities and community organisations, one thing is clear: where digital foundations are strong and data is used intelligently, systems can target resources more effectively, support people earlier, and reduce avoidable pressure on acute services. The Budget provides an opportunity to reinforce this progress and help it scale.

Here are the priorities we believe will matter most – supported by results from across our customers that show what is possible with the right investment.

 

1. Stability for digital infrastructure that is already delivering

ICSs have worked hard to put in place the essential building blocks of integrated care - shared data, interoperable platforms, digital health records and joined-up workflows. These foundations are working, providing clinicians with fuller information to support safer decisions. System leaders are using real-time demand data to plan services. Community teams and local authorities are beginning to share one view of a person’s needs.

What systems do not need now is another reset.

From our experience across multiple ICS programmes, the Budget would make a meaningful difference if it:

Stability enables deeper pathway redesign, better use of analytics and a sharper focus on measurable outcomes.

 

2. Backing population health and prevention, not just activity

Reducing avoidable demand and improving outcomes depends on proactive, data-driven care. The most successful programmes we support are those that use linked data to:

To go further, ICSs need budget measures that support:

Prevention only becomes real when systems have the tools, intelligence and stability to act on insight.

 

3. Digital that genuinely relieves workforce pressure

Sustainable transformation depends on digital solutions that reduce workload - not add to it. Across our customer base, the programmes making the biggest difference are those that bring care closer to home, streamline clinical workflows and improve coordination between teams.

Examples include:

For many teams, these tools are already saving time every day and improving patient experience. Budget measures that expand clinically led, data-driven homecare programmes would relieve pressure on acute settings and help address workforce constraints.

 

4. Recognising that integrated care depends on integrated data

True integrated care is only possible when every organisation involved in someone’s health, care and wellbeing can collaborate using shared, secure and timely information.

We see the biggest impact in programmes that bring together:

Budget support for these models could:

When every team has access to the same insight, it becomes far easier to act earlier, prevent escalation and ensure no one falls through the gaps.

 

5. Focusing on measurable outcomes - not just “more technology”

With public finances under pressure , investment in digital must be tied to impact. Across our customers, we see clear, measurable improvements when integrated data, remote monitoring and shared digital pathways work together. These include:

Real-world results from across our customers

These examples show that when funding supports proven tools and well-designed pathways, the NHS can deliver both better outcomes and better value.

Looking ahead: how Graphnet will support our customers

Whatever the details of the Autumn Budget, the responsibility for making change real will lie, as ever, with local systems. Our role is to continue supporting ICSs, trusts, local authorities and community organisations with the platforms, insight and partnership required to deliver integrated, proactive and sustainable care.

We will continue to:

The challenges are significant - but the evidence shows that when systems have stable funding, shared data and clear priorities, transformational change is not only possible, but already happening.