NHS needs ‘smart digital foundations’ to support population health priorities

The NHS will need “smart digital foundations” and connected care services to better support population health priorities, new guidance states.

New targets set out in NHS England and Improvement’s priorities and operational planning guidance for 2021/22 aim to take action on staff wellbeing; improve access to primary care; and accelerate the restoration of elective and cancer care. They set out ways to build on capabilities delivered during the Covid-19 pandemic for a more joined up health system.

To meet population health needs the NHS will need “smart digital foundations, connected health and care services, locally joined-up person-level data across health and care partners, and robust analytical capability aligned across system partners”, the guidance states.

A new target was...