Women in the UK often face fragmented healthcare pathways: from maternity care spanning GPs, hospitals, and community services, to under-researched conditions such as endometriosis.
The government’s 10-Year Health Plan places digitalisation at the centre of NHS transformation. But can technology really bridge these gaps and make healthcare more inclusive for women?
The 10-Year Health Plan and digitalisation
Recommendations from the 10-Year Health Plan include expanding existing technologies, such as the NHS App, to create a Single Patient Record (SPR). This would allow patients to manage their health and share their medical histories across different NHS services.
The Plan also highlights the use of technology to support staff – reducing bureaucratic burdens and assisting doctors and nurses in decision-making. The government further aims to harness emerging technologies, such as AI, to ensure the success of the NHS’s digital transformation.
Opportunities for women’s health
In principle, the 10-Year Health Plan’s recommendations could improve women’s healthcare, making fragmented services easier to navigate. Digital tools can empower women to make more informed health decisions, offering unprecedented insights into areas such as reproductive health, pregnancy, and chronic conditions.
Technology also offers an opportunity to close the gender data gap. Historically, women’s health has been chronically under-researched, with underrepresentation in academia and research institutions leaving many healthcare professionals without adequate training to address women’s health needs. By collecting and analysing data, technology can improve treatments, enhance drug safety, and enable personalised care, including early detection – making healthcare more effective, inclusive, and accessible.
For example, a Single Patient Record could link maternity care across GPs, hospitals, and community midwives, while data-driven insights could improve treatment for conditions such as endometriosis or menopause.
This is where femtech – digital innovations designed specifically for women’s health – can play a pivotal role. From cycle-tracking apps to AI-powered diagnostics, femtech solutions are already showing how technology can close knowledge gaps, enhance self-management, and push women’s health higher up the innovation agenda.
Effective implementation is key
While the 10-Year Health Plan’s announcements are welcome, questions remain about how the government will swiftly and effectively implement technological innovation across the NHS.
The Plan provides only a cursory overview of how these technologies will be embedded – lacking detail on what tech-enabled healthcare models will look like, and what changes in services, pathways, and patient or staff behaviour will be required to make them work in practice.
Implementation will also require significant funding – an aspect almost entirely missing from the Plan. Research from The Health Foundation suggests that digitising the NHS and adult social care in the UK will require an estimated £21bn over five years. With public finances under strain, the source of this investment remains unclear.
Beyond funding, clear regulation and governance will be essential to ensure safe, equitable, and accessible use. Regulations must guarantee that digital health technologies meet safety and efficacy standards, integrate smoothly into NHS services, and comply with privacy laws, including GDPR.
It is equally important to ensure that digitalisation does not widen inequalities. For example, women from lower-income households or older generations may face barriers in accessing NHS digital services. Proper training and alternative access routes will be essential.
Strong potential for the future
The 10-Year Health Plan rightly recognises the potential of digitalisation. But without robust funding, strong governance, and a focus on equity, its ambitions risk falling short.
For women, success could mean earlier diagnoses, more integrated care, and truly personalised treatment – supported by the growing femtech sector. But this vision will only be realised if the digital revolution is safe, inclusive, and patient-centred.
Experts in effecting change
At Whitehouse Communications, we bring deep expertise in health policy consultancy, partnering with organisations across the public, private and third sectors to influence strategy, shape regulation, and drive innovation in healthcare.
Our team understands both the policy landscape and the transformative potential of femtech to improve women’s health outcomes across the UK.
Explore our case studies to learn more about how we’ve helped clients navigate complex policy challenges. If you’re looking for strategic support in health policy and communications, check out our health and social care services.
