Digital Innovation within NHS Trusts

NHS Trust digital development and innovation teams are a vital but often overlooked part of the health service. These teams have created many transformative systems that improve patient care and support staff, often at a local level.

As part of my MBA, I carried out a study to shine a light on their work and explore how future policy could better support digital innovation in the NHS. A Freedom of Information request was sent to Trusts in 2020, asking about their innovation teams, technologies, and activities.

A total of 191 Trusts took part, and most confirmed they had dedicated teams in place. Many were developing apps and websites for patients, working directly with clinicians to co-create new ideas, and even sharing their innovations with other Trusts and external partners. Some had sought innovation funding, while others reported using open-source technology and interoperability standards.

The study highlighted five key recommendations to improve how Trusts work together digitally. More research is needed to understand the challenges these teams face, such as limited resources, organisational culture, and technical expertise, so that digital progress can be supported equally across the NHS.

Publications

Bennion, M.R., Spencer, R., Moore, R.K., Kenyon, R. (2025). Digital Capability, Open-Source Use, and Interoperability Standards Within the National Health Service in England: Survey of Health Care Trusts. JMIR Human Factors, 12:e66398. doi: 10.2196/66398. Link to Paper

Contributors

Ross Spencer
Independent Researcher, Germany

Roger Moore
University of Sheffield, UK

Richard Kenyon
Aston University, UK