The UK’s Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) is set to allocate £114 million ($147.5 million) towards upgrading its IT infrastructure, as part of broader reforms aimed at improving patient care and cybersecurity. This funding comes at a crucial time when the National Health Service (NHS) is undergoing significant structural changes. The DHSC’s IT budget for 2024-2025 is £29.1 million, a decrease from £37.7 million the previous year, according to data from the Parliament Street think tank, which obtained the information via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
The investment is closely tied to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s March 2025 announcement that NHS England will be abolished and the health service brought back under direct ministerial control. Key objectives of the NHS overhaul include enhancing patient safety, reducing bureaucracy, and bolstering cyber resilience.
Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister of State for Care, emphasized the need for ongoing efforts to strengthen cybersecurity in the healthcare sector. “To meet these shifts and support care providers on their digitization journey, we must build on work already done to improve cyber resilience,” Kinnock said. The focus on cybersecurity is growing in light of the recent DHSC report, “The State of Cybersecurity in Adult Social Care,” which highlights concerns over identifying cyber threats and the sector’s vulnerability due to limited staff resources and digital maturity.
Kinnock acknowledged the sector’s exposure to cyber risks, noting factors such as sensitive financial data, personal information, and the reliance on a small number of technology suppliers. As the NHS undergoes this transition, addressing cybersecurity remains critical to safeguarding both patient data and the broader healthcare system.
