Navigating the future: NHS operational planning guidance for 2025/26
Health tech, Mental health
20 March 2025
By Emily
The NHS is under a lot of strain, and is facing significant challenges across multiple areas of healthcare. Recently, the NHS released its operational planning guidance for 2025/26.
This highlights the core areas of focus for the coming year. Some of the key themes included in this guidance are digital transformation, productivity and efficiency.
A foundation for improvement
NHS operational planning guidance
The overall goal of this guidance is to build on previous progress, and more importantly, find optimal ways to address ongoing challenges faced by the NHS. High demand for care means that, although improvements are already happening, those alone are not enough for everyone to benefit from timely and convenient access to services.
It has been estimated that in order to meet demand growth, NHS organisations will need to reduce their costs by at least 1%, as well as increasing productivity levels by 4%.
The NHS is aiming to move to a much more devolved system. This will mean that ICB’s and trusts will have more freedom and flexibility, and patients will have more control over their own care.
The main takeaways are a strong need for integrated care, improved patient access to services, and an increased focus on preventative measures. Integrated care systems (ICS’s) and providers must aim to streamline services and improve patient outcomes.
Digital transformation
The engine of change
The most prominent theme is the continued drive for digital transformation. The NHS knows that technology has huge potential, and will be one of the main contributors to enhancing patient care and streamlining service operations. As well as continuing to improve digital maturity, NHS services should prioritise actions that improve patient outcomes, reduce costs and free up more staff time to deliver patient care.
Key aspects within digital transformation include:
- Expanding digital access – empowering patients to manage their own health, for example, through use of the NHS app, and reducing burden on healthcare settings.
- Data driven insights – using data to improve decision making, eg identifying trends, predicting demand for services, and optimising resource allocation
- Interoperability – seamless data sharing between different healthcare providers is essential. Find out our approach to interoperability.
Productivity and efficiency
Doing more with less
We know that the NHS will continue to face increasing demand, as well as huge financial constraints.
To try to mitigate against this, the NHS is putting a strong focus on improving productivity and efficiency.
This includes:
- Operational efficiencies and workforce optimisation – reviewing existing practices and implementing new ways of working. This will enable services to streamline their processes and optimise utilisation of their limited resources. Effective workforce planning can ensure that workforces are deployed effectively, and that they address workforce shortages, improve staff retention, as well as encourage staff development.
- Reducing waiting lists – innovative approaches are encouraged to address the ever growing backlog of those waiting for care, for example, to tackle waiting lists for those needing assessment for neurodevelopmental conditions.
- Preventative care – initiatives that seek to address health inequalities as well as promoting a healthy lifestyle are encouraged. Investing in preventative measures will hopefully reduce the burden that long term conditions cause to the NHS.
Improving access to CYP mental health services
Through NHS operational planning guidance
This is a particular focus in the NHS operational planning guidance.
The NHS has set a target to expand mental health support teams, so that there is 100% coverage by 2029/30. This will ensure young people can access the support they need, without falling through the gaps. The NHS has also committed to reducing local health inequalities in accessing CYPMH services, to ensure that disadvantaged areas can get the required mental health treatment.
Integrated care systems (ICSs) must work together
ICS’s are instrumental in driving integrated care and improving the health of the population. Their plans should be inclusive of all age groups, and should explicitly reflect the needs of CYP.
Some of the things highlighted within the NHS operational planning guidance which they are expected to play a core role in include:
- Developing and implementing local plans. These will address the specific demands of their populations.
Working collaboratively with multiple partners across the health and social care system. - Driving innovation and contributing to improving the quality of care. They must look to make full use of digital tools.
- Ensuring continued, high-quality care for everyone is the driving force behind NHS England’s 2025/26 Planning Guidance, which is something we’re all striving for.
We help services streamline productivity and efficiency for improved outcomes. Could your service benefit from a system like ours?