EBME Expo 2026
HealthTech: enabling future models of care
High on the agenda at EBME Expo 2026 will be the role of healthcare technology in enabling future models of care. Professor John Sandham, Chair of the EBME Expo, provides an insight into the hot topics that will be discussed at the event and some of the key challenges for the NHS.
The United Kingdom’s health and care systems are traversing a period of profound structural metamorphosis. Driven by the exhaustion of traditional hospital-centric models, the NHS is pivoting toward integrated, technology-enabled eco-systems. However, as we look toward a technology enhanced future, the critical constraint is no longer a lack of capital, but a deficit in cohesive decision-making architecture. True thought leadership in this space requires us to move beyond the procurement of “equipment” to the governance of “technology eco-systems.”
The fiscal catalyst: beyond the £10bn horizon The current acceleration of digital health is underpinned by a historic convergence of fiscal policy and technological maturity. As of 2026, the NHS is leveraging the cumulative impact of the £3.4 billion productivity investment1
and the
landmark £10 billion digital transformation fund codified in the 2025 Spending Review.2 This capital injection is the engine for the “analogue-to-digital” mandate within the government’s 10-Year Health Plan. However, we must view this funding through a wider lens: the New Hospital Programme (NHP), with an estate investment exceeding £20 billion, is now utilising
“Hospital 2.0” standards to ensure that clinical environments are digital-first by design, rather than by retrofitted necessity.3
The governance gap: who ultimately decides? The most consequential challenge facing the NHS is the “hidden constraint” of fragmented decision-making. We currently maintain a substantial installed base of ageing medical equipment that, while clinically functional, represents a significant cybersecurity and interoperability liability. The current wave of investment exposes a fundamental tension between stakeholder priorities: l Clinicians - seek immediate usability and effectiveness.
l Clinical Engineers - prioritise safety and lifecycle resilience.
l Procurement - targets framework compliance and unit cost.
l Digital Teams - mandate interoperability and data integrity.
Individually, these perspectives are incomplete. In an Integrated Care System (ICS) environment, a medical equipment asset is no longer a standalone device; it is part of a digital technology eco-system. The transition demands we stop asking “What is
the best product?” and start asking, “What is the best decision for the whole eco-system?”
A new model of healthcare technology governance The solution lies in a formalised Healthcare Technology Governance model. We must move away from “individual preference” toward a multi-disciplinary architecture where clinical need is validated against technical compatibility and lifecycle sustainability. In this framework, accountability is shared, but the strategic outcome is unified: eliminating the “digital dead- ends” created by siloed purchasing.
“Invest to save”: the value-based procurement mandate This governance shift is legally and operationally supported by the Value-Based Procurement (VBP) framework officially mandated in October 2025.4
With an annual MedTech expenditure of
approximately £10 billion, the NHS has shifted from a “cheapest-acquisition” mentality to a “patient-first” productivity model. The evidence of this shift is already visible:
Acute Trust productivity increased by 2.7% over the 2024–25 period, surpassing the national 2% target.4
By prioritising pioneering technologies,
such as remote monitoring interventions that have reduced cardiac hospitalisations by 43% in pilot sites, the service is finally addressing the total cost of care rather than just the cost of the device.4
Collaborative excellence: The EBME Expo 2026 The EBME Expo has evolved into the “Collaborative Eco-system” where these high level governance challenges are solved. The 2026 programme is built around five CPD accredited streams that mirror the ICS pillars:
Clinical Engineering (EBME) Chaired by Prof. John Sandham, the flagship EBME Conference focuses on the development
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