My Year at ABHI: Lessons, Progress and Optimism
I started my placement at ABHI one month after the NHS 10 Year Health Plan was published, arguably the perfect time to enter the world of HealthTech. The plan placed innovation and technology at the heart of the NHS's future, highlighting its potential to transform how we prevent, diagnose, treat and manage conditions. One of my first tasks at ABHI was to map the key commitments for HealthTech set out in the plan, creating a framework for tracking progress and holding the Government accountable for delivering on its ambitions (a sentiment that you will have heard Richard echo many times at conferences and events). One year on from the publication of the plan, I wanted to use this blog to reflect on some of the progress being made across the system, inspired by Rosalind Campion's "Friday Reasons to be Cheerful" LinkedIn posts.
The first example comes from the shift from analogue to digital. The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust became the first trust in England to integrate Patient Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU) appointments directly into the NHS App, allowing patients to request, manage, cancel and rebook appointments digitally. A major success in the plan’s ambition for PIFU to be the standard approach for follow-ups where clinically appropriate.
Secondly, within the shift from hospital to community, progress is being made towards the commitment to establish Neighbourhood Health Centres across England. Following the publication of the Neighbourhood Health Framework, the Government and NHS England have confirmed the first wave of 27 Neighbourhood Health Centres across seven regions.
Progress is also being made towards NHS financial and governance reform. Following a 13-trust trial, DHSC, NHS England and NHS Supply Chain published the Value-Based Procurement (VBP) National Standard Guidance for Medical Technology, with 2026 designated as the 'delivery year' for value-based procurement. Furthermore, the plan’s stated aim for high-performing FTs to hold full population health budgets as an Integrated Health Organisations (IHOs) has progressed, with Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust becoming the first organisations designated as eligible to hold future IHO contracts. This is a significant step towards a model that could support longer-term investment decisions and a population-focused approach to healthcare.
While these developments give me confidence in the direction of travel for the NHS, one of the main reasons I remain optimistic about the future is the people I have met this year. Whether listening to NHS executives and senior leaders at ABHI’s annual conference or engaging with clinicians and industry experts at ABHI’s Women’s Health Conference, I have consistently been blown away by the expertise and friendliness of those in the sector. It is this spirit of collaboration, with people working towards a common goal to improve patient care, that stands out to me as one of the defining strengths of the sector.
During a short placement with Kimal's Maternity Division, I saw first-hand how this collaboration can drive innovation. What started as a conversation with a midwife seeking a solution for preventing a ‘never event’, evolved into a growing portfolio of products supporting maternity care and a new business division. A reminder that some of the most impactful innovations begin by listening to those delivering care on the front line.
This blog is also a good opportunity to address two of the questions that I have been asked consistently throughout my time at ABHI. Firstly, regarding whether the role has met my expectations, I would like to say that the work that I have completed while at ABHI and the supportiveness of the ABHI team, has far exceeded what any student could hope from a placement year. Since my three-month reflection blog, I have had the opportunity to attend a parliamentary dinner exploring the delivery of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan. In February, we hosted ABHI’s Government Affairs and Scotland group meetings. The ABHI team then travelled north to my university city for our ‘Partnering with Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust’ event, and a day later I was up in Glasgow for Scotland’s Life Sciences Awards. In April, I wrote a blog for the Health Innovation Network on ABHI’s Annual Pulse of the Sector survey and June saw the publication of ABHI’s Maternity Care report.
The second question concerns my future career plans, a topic that every student knows eventually arrives in (almost) every conversation. Aside from returning to the University of Leeds to complete my degree in Human Physiology, Physical Activity and Health, I am still deciding exactly where my future career will take me. However, to echo the words of both my predecessors, my time at ABHI has opened my eyes to the range of career prospects available to me. While I am certain that I want to build a career that contributes to improving healthcare and patient outcomes, my exact career plans have probably changed as frequently as the UK has changed Prime Ministers over the past decade. As a Mancunian, however, perhaps the recent changes at the top of Government may provide me with a good opportunity to return home (my parents would certainly be happy).
While I am sad that my time at ABHI has come to an end, I am delighted to pass the baton on to Cora. As another University of Leeds student joining the ABHI placement tradition, I am sure she will have an equally rewarding year. I wish her every success and look forward to seeing what she achieves.
