Global Scans · Horizon Scanning NHS · Weekly Summary

• [New] Broader plans for the development of a Neighbourhood Health Service will be supported by a new digital platform that supports the remote monitoring of patients, with a flow of data from the relevant technology into the Single Patient Record and NHS App. UKAuthority
• [New] The integration of genomic data into routine care, combined with streamlined access to clinical trials via the NHS App, has the potential to accelerate drug development, reduce health inequalities, and unlock new models of preventative care. Med-Tech Insights
• [New] A new globally unique set of studies will explore personalised prevention of obesity, applying genomic and other insights to identify people who are at the highest risk of developing obesity make wearables standard in preventative, chronic and post-acute NHS treatment by 2035. GOV.UK
• A coalition of baby charities is warning that unprecedented progress in reducing the number of women smoking during pregnancy in England is being put at risk by NHS funding cuts. ASH
• As specified in The NHS long term plan, between 2018/19 and 2023/24 funding will grow faster than the overall NHS England budget for mental health (4.6% per year, on average), and primary medical and community services (3.8% per year, on average). Health Foundation
• The current Treasury plans for public spending over the next 5 years would see government-wide spending grow by 7% - less than half the growth rate of NHS England. Health Foundation
• If NHS spending increased by 3.8% per year from 2028-29, the average rate of growth since the 1980s, the NHS would be equal to a quarter of UK GDP by 2092-93. TaxPayers' Alliance
• At the long term average rate of growth in NHS spending and the forecast rate of GDP growth, NHS spending is estimated to reach £2.6 trillion in 2099-2100, which would be 24.6% of UK GDP, at £10.5 trillion. TaxPayers' Alliance
• Usability trials are planned in the UK and US, including with the NHS, with the goal of supporting at-home monitoring for patients at risk of diabetic foot complications. Digital Health
• AI use in the NHS should align with existing NHS Net Zero commitmentswhere possible, communications teams should choose low-energy AI applications, avoid overuse, and promote digital sustainabilityenvironmental impacts of AI should be monitored alongside ethical risks, particularly as usage scales. NHS Confederation
• The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination reaffirms Pakistan's unwavering commitment to cervical cancer elimination, aligning with the WHO's 2030 targets. World Health Organization: WHO
• Health: £6 billion per year will create safer hospital environments across England with reduced waiting times, improved patient outcomes, and better working conditions for NHS staff. RailBusinessDaily
• The NHS 10 year health plan will see digital, remote and neighbourhood care, taking over much of the role of hospitals. Digital Health
• Drones could be deployed more widely for NHS deliveries under new UK regulations planned for 2026, which would allow flights beyond visual line of sight limit. Digital Health
• Patients with a Hepatitis C diagnosis will receive greater follow-up and monitoring, and NHS England will also be proactively identifying patients with bleeding disorders to ensure they receive appropriate testing, treatment and ongoing monitoring. GOV.UK
• The scale of the extra spending on the NHS in England - which will increase to £226bn by 2028-29, equivalent to 3% annual increases - means squeezing other areas. The Independent
• An important increase in investment in digital transformation, technology adoption and AI is positive and will be necessary to achieve ambitions for the NHS App being the digital front door and to develop and deliver a single patient record. NHS Confederation
• In the UK, independent reviews are typically nationally commissioned; in the National Health Service they are put in place when clinical practice threatens quality of care and patient safety. Bioethics Today
• The development of Integrated Care Systems across England demonstrates democratic leadership in action, bringing together NHS organizations, local councils, and stakeholders to collectively plan and deliver health services. Quarterdeck Ltd
• Spending on the NHS in England grows by 3.6% a year after 2025-26 in line with long-run average growth since 1949-50. Office for Budget Responsibility
• Specialist mental health crisis centers will be opened across England over the next decade in an attempt to reduce crowding in accident and emergency (A & E) departments, the NHS has confirmed. Quest Training
• Even Trump and Musk's DOGE chainsaw is being picked up by centrist governments, with Starmer's Labour abolishing NHS England and its tens of thousands of jobs in the UK and Macron's government pushing for 6% reductions in public spending by 2029 in France. International Socialist Alternative
• Research gathered for the Health Foundation has estimated that digitising NHS and adult social care services across the UK will cost £21bn over the next five years. Patient Information Forum

Last updated: 09 July 2025