As the NHS 10 Year Health Plan moves from ambition to implementation, 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for MedTech and digital health.
Med-Tech Insights reached out to leaders from across the industry to ask them to share their expectations for the year ahead. From value-based procurement to regulatory expertise, to workforce productivity and community-based models of care, these voices reflect a sector sensing momentum after years of groundwork.
The article also features perspectives on EU regulatory frameworks, as well as wider international insights.
Chris Whitehouse, Chair of political lobbyists, Whitehouse Communications, and a Med-Tech Insights columnist – “It’s been several years of hard slog, but all that work is about to pay off.”
“The big breakthrough for 2026 will be the roll-out of the paradigm shifting value based procurement approach across the NHS in England. It will be adopted ‘early’ in the year, say Ministers, and will move procurement away from the out-dated and counterproductive historic dominance of lowest price, instead giving majority weighting to patient experience and outcomes, and social impact. I’m proud to have worked with the Department of Health and Social Care’s MedTech and Innovation Directorate and medical product supplier, Essity, to deliver this change. It’s been several years of hard slog, but all that work is about to pay off.”
Mike Monovoukas, CEO and Co-founder, AcuityMD – “Next year, AI will redefine how MedTech proves value to healthcare systems.”
“In 2026, AI won’t just accelerate product innovation. It will reshape how MedTech companies demonstrate clinical and financial value. On-demand analytics will instantly quantify treatment impact, helping manufacturers prove outcomes for both clinicians and CFOs. Rather than relying on retrospective studies or data, AI-driven models will provide evidence on demand. For forward-thinking MedTech companies, this will mean faster adoption, confidence that they’re aligned to a buyer’s distinct needs, and a competitive edge built on transparency and measurable results.”
Alex Wakefield, Chief Revenue Officer, AcuityMD – “Commercial teams will operate like technology companies.”
“In 2025, more MedTech commercial teams moved toward putting precise, timely market data in the hands of their reps rather than static annual plans so they could see market shifts early and adjust as needed. With Medicare and Medicaid cuts coming next year, those shifts are going to be faster and more severe, forcing commercial organisations to become even more agile.
“In 2026, MedTech commercial teams will stop relying on the annual plan to tell them where to go next. The best teams will use timely data to reallocate resources weekly, just like tech companies do with product sprints. Instead of static yearly plans that go stale by Q2, winning organisations will adapt in real time. We will see shorter feedback loops between product, marketing, and sales, and more decisions made from the field up, not the boardroom down. That shift will separate the companies that grow from the ones that just react.”
Barbara Harpham, Chair of the Medical Technology Group – “At our recent MedTech Week reception, I sensed growing optimism.”
“Anyone involved in the medical technology space over the last decade will be familiar with the now longstanding issues: poor spread and adoption of proven technologies, an inability for commissioners to consider long term value and savings over upfront cost, poor understanding of the day to day realities facing clinicians and patients who use the technology…
“At our recent MedTech Week reception, I sensed growing optimism. In theory, policy around the Ten Year Plan and the new value-based procurement guidelines are starting to provide the levers and the incentives to deliver action. This scale of reform will bring its teething problems, but I sense that despite the challenges facing the health service there is a serious will to address these problems.
“It’s amidst this transformation that the MTG is undertaking its ‘Commission on NHS Culture’. We want to highlight those areas of the NHS that do implement the right technology and innovation, that overcome barriers of access for patients and are essentially starting to pioneer the model of care enabled envisaged in the Ten Year Plan. How well will the system learn from the best performers in these areas? This, I believe, will be the real test of reform in the coming years.”
Barbara Harpham is Chair of the Medical Technology Group. Reports and findings from the Commission on Culture can be found here.
Martin Murphy, Principal Consultant, 42 Technology – “A fundamental shift in how quality and safety are approached.”
“The regulatory world of medical devices is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in nearly three decades. The long-standing Quality System Regulation (QSR) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to be replaced in Feb 2026 by a modernised Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR).
“This change may sound procedural, but for those involved in the design, manufacture, and monitoring of drug delivery devices, it represents a fundamental shift in how quality and safety are approached. More importantly, it offers an opportunity to align with global standards and embed risk-based thinking at the very core of development processes.
“At its heart, the transition to QMSR represents more than just a regulatory update, it reflects a maturing of the global medical device ecosystem. It acknowledges that safety and effectiveness cannot be achieved by checking boxes, but rather by embedding risk-aware quality into every decision and process.”
Andy Pidgeon, Director of Medical Technology and Usability at 42 Technology – “The winners will be the ones who build trust as deliberately as they build technology.”
“2026 will be a year when regulation catches up with technology, or at least closes the gap! The EU’s AI Act and the European Health Data Space Regulation will force the industry to get serious about data quality, transparency and lifecycle evidence. That’s not a bad thing, it will separate those building robust, trustworthy systems from those chasing headlines.
“If you walk around any conference, you will hear a lot of noise around “AI in healthcare,” but the truth is that a lot of this is hype. Those that have invested in good data, transparency and lifecycle evidence will thrive; the rest may struggle to keep up.
“In the UK, the MHRA’s move toward greater reliance on international approvals and assessments, and flexible CE-mark recognition, feels like a rare moment of regulatory pragmatism. Regulators working together rather than reinventing the wheel could save developers a significant amount of time and cost.
“Technically, I think we’ll see real movement in implantable drug delivery and closed-loop systems. Devices that can sense, decide and act automatically are edging from concept to clinic, driven by miniaturised electronics and smarter algorithms. Combined with better connectivity and low-power electronics, this could change how we treat chronic conditions, moving dosing control from the hospital to the body itself.
“Diagnostics are also getting more distributed. AI tools that used to live in research labs are being baked into everyday imaging workflows. It’s less about flashy “AI doctors” and more about real-world productivity. Hopefully the companies making the biggest impact will be the ones integrating seamlessly with clinicians, not trying to replace them.
“Beyond Diabetes, closed-loop control will begin to offer opportunities in neuromodulation and implantable drug systems. The ability to sense, decide and act automatically is powerful, but it raises big questions about safety, transparency and who’s ultimately in control when the loop closes itself.
“If there’s one theme for 2026 and beyond, it’s this: the winners will be the ones who build trust as deliberately as they build technology. Compliance, usability and real-world validation aren’t afterthoughts anymore, they are competitive advantages.”
Jess O’Dwyer, General Manager at Pocketalk – “Advances in medtech in 2026 will see improved communication that is powered evermore by AI.”
“To date, language translation spend and incorporation has focused mainly on hospitals or GP surgeries, but more diffusion is needed as well as better, more efficient options. It’s important that all healthcare services have the ability to furnish patients with quick, safe, cost-effective and easily accessible translation, including opticians, pharmacies and dental practices, to ensure overall best care and patient outcomes in 2026.
“With net migration projected to remain high, UK businesses and services will face greater pressure to serve multilingual communities next year. The millions of citizens that do not have English as their first language, but depend on public or private health practices, will need accurate communication to help facilitate appointments and care. When conducting initial information gathering appointments to understand current concerns and medical history clear communication is essential.
“By 2026, translation and interpretation won’t just be a support service — it will be part of the core infrastructure of healthcare systems to ensure equitable, patient-centric care. Currently, most, if not all, healthcare settings are required to offer translation services via telephone, video or in-person, but these necessitate time to organise, added time to appointments, as well as a not insignificant cost to the NHS or private practices.
“The need for innovative new translation technology to overcome language barriers is clear, from booking an appointment at the right time, day and for the right reason, to understanding treatments and price options, as well as leaving with a clear after-care plan that will avoid further unnecessary follow-up appointments..
“A recent report from the National Child Mortality Database offered a heartbreaking reminder of what’s at stake. It found that when families can’t access the interpreters they desperately need, critical information can be missed and in the most tragic cases, this has contributed to avoidable deaths among children and newborns, with BAME communities disproportionately affected. While the Government’s Improvement Framework is working towards a better provision of translation and interpretation options, it’s essential that this progress cuts through the red tape, procurement and onboarding challenges to incorporate state-of-the-art technology as soon as possible to avoid more potential injuries and fatalities.
“Advances in medtech in 2026 will see improved communication that is powered evermore by AI, with growing demand and regulatory pressure resulting in AI processing done locally (on device), reducing reliance on the cloud for sensitive or personal data. As AI workloads grow more complex and regulatory pressures increase, companies should reconsider their reliance on cloud storage. Businesses wanting more control, security and performance, will need to choose the best options to support their specific needs. Local (on-device) AI processing runs an AI model directly on the user’s device, offering lower latency and enhanced privacy, but is limited by its processing power, while cloud AI sends data to remote servers for processing, with access to powerful computing resources, but introduces higher latency and less security
“The existing EU AI Act and UK AI Regulation Bill, currently provides decision makers with a starting point for what they need to look for in terms of compliance, but we can assume that regulations will be updated in 2026 to reflect the Government’s push to use AI, with the UK and EU set to tighten oversight on how AI models process sensitive personal data, something that is paramount in all healthcare settings, large and small. We can therefore expect 2026 to bring clearer guardrails — requiring businesses to prove transparency in how translation, voice, and generative AI systems store and handle data, something that will become a competitive differentiator.
“While every facet of the healthcare sector looks to improve its offering while cutting unnecessary spend, new tech will carry out more and more frontline medical tasks, often driven by AI, which is when best in class security is needed.
“We can expect stronger regulatory and standards frameworks for machine translation and AI translation for the healthcare sector. Cybersecurity is bound to be a focus given the continued trajectory of AI usage and the many and significant security breaches in 2025. In the coming year, as awareness of cyber threats increases, decision makers will demand that technology solutions can demonstrate their security credentials are the best possible, as well as highlighting an active investment in future proofing services to protect the sectors and businesses that use them and the clients or patients they are meant to be benefiting.
“It’s clear that technology will play a huge part in any successful and tangible progress. The question is how we implement change that cuts through current challenges and offers significant and much needed cost savings, providing a secure solution when dealing with highly sensitive health and medical information.”
Paul Charnley, Luminary Advisor at St Vincents Consulting – “This is the moment to turn digital capability into tangible value.”
“2026 will demand agility from the NHS, followed by a mid-year shift toward stability and improvement. The focus will move firmly onto EPR optimisation and frontline productivity, supported by longer-term funding from 2026/27. For digital leaders, this is the moment to turn digital capability into tangible value across systems.”
Hannah Groombridge, Head of Operations at Canary Care – “We need to move from a patchwork of local projects to consistent, mainstream deployments across health and social care systems.”
“In 2026, technology-enabled care will complete its shift from a peripheral innovation to core infrastructure in health and social care. Building on the rapid expansion of virtual wards and hospital-at-home models, TEC will be routinely hard-wired into discharge plans, not simply bolted on as an optional extra. It will be used systematically to reduce avoidable readmissions and to spot issues like falls risk or disturbed sleep long before they turn into a crisis.
“Our 2025 ‘Smarter care, better outcomes’ report found that around three quarters of care workers trust remote technology to cut hospital readmissions and unnecessary interventions, and real-life services are already freeing up hospital beds and weeks of care resources by supporting safer discharge and helping people stay independent at home.
“The opportunity in 2026 is not to run more pilots but to standardise and scale. We need to move from a patchwork of local projects to consistent, mainstream deployments across health and social care systems, so that people experience the benefits wherever they live, not just in the most digitally mature areas.”
Kyle Lunn Managing Director, Health at ClearCourse – “Next year, we’ll see more clinics prioritise their core tech infrastructure so that they can build on this with AI.”
“AI is rapidly changing the way patients want to interact with healthcare professionals and is moving past proof-of-concept into routine clinical and administrative use. In 2026, clinics will increasingly experiment with AI Agents and conversational AI, like chatbots and assistants, as ‘digital front doors’ for patients. To meet the needs of different patients, however, clinics will need to really evaluate where AI can meaningfully strengthen clinical workflows and elevate the patient experience.
“Outside of patient-facing AI, technology that supports automated note taking and booking systems will drastically improve workflows for clinics next year. With approximately 180,000 patients waiting for over a year for treatment, as of August 2025, it’s clear that admin that’s managed on manual or basic systems is taking up too much of clinicians’ time, taking them away from delivering care to their patients. At the same time, patients increasingly prefer digital-first interactions for routine care which is pushing clinics to adopt more patient-facing AI features. But these have to be integrated with robust back-office management systems to maintain a secure and seamless service.
“Next year, we’ll see more clinics prioritise their core tech infrastructure so that they can build on this with AI. The clinics that will thrive will be the ones who adopt a system that can help automate tasks for practitioners, communicate with patients in the way they prefer and securely store data all in one place. The defining question for 2026 isn’t “can we use AI?” but “can our AI automate tasks and help us help more people faster?”
“The UK’s approach to healthcare is shifting towards more community-based models, and in 2026, technology will play a greater role in preparing both private and public clinics for this change.
“This is largely being driven by strategic shifts outlined in the UK Government’s 10 Year Health Plan, which is looking to move care from hospitals to communities and primary care. In order to better connect patients with local practitioners, clinics – both private and public alike – will turn to digitally-enabled solutions like apps to provide this support.
“Also, frequently as a result of long NHS waiting times, we’ve seen more patients turn to self-funded care or private insurance to access care faster. As a result, more patients expect real-time updates about their treatment plan, easy communication with practitioners and remote services so they can access care from home.
“For private physiotherapy clinics, for example, in-person sessions are increasingly being supplemented and extended through app-based exercise programmes, video demonstrations, real-time progress tracking, and different payment options that help practitioners deliver a better service, and give patients more control over their care.
“In 2026, we’ll see technology like this take more of a lead role in providing continuous care in communities and supporting preventative measures to reduce pressure on hospitals.”
Steve Sanghera, Co-Founder and CEO at Inventus – “Targeted use of AI will grow.”
“Decentralised and hybrid trials will become the default design choice in many indications, particularly where remote monitoring, telehealth and wearables can clearly reduce burden without compromising data quality. The underlying market for decentralised trials is projected to continue strong double-digit growth into the 2030s, so 2026 will be another step along that curve.”
“Targeted use of AI will grow – especially in feasibility, site selection, recruitment and operational risk prediction – but under much stricter governance as regulators and legal frameworks bite.”
“ESG expectations around device recovery, e-waste and carbon impact will move from “nice messaging” to formal RFP requirements, which suits our circular economy model.”
Zara Malik, Head of Regulatory Affairs, LFH Regulatory – “In the UK, 2026 could prove to be a defining moment for software and AI medical devices.”
“2026 is shaping up to be one of those years where regulatory shifts change how companies plan, build and launch medical technologies. After several years of strategy papers and consultation cycles, the major pieces are finally coming together. The result is a landscape that feels more aligned, more predictable and far more focused on the real-world behaviour of AI and software.
“The MHRA–FDA collaboration announced in October 2025 is a meaningful step toward closer regulatory alignment. The goal is to reduce duplication and speed access to safe medical devices. It opens the possibility of UK reliance routes for devices with existing FDA clearance, something the UK hopes to legislate for in 2026 with practical use from 2027. If this progresses as intended, it could influence how manufacturers shape market-entry strategies, with the UK emerging as an agile early-adopter for technologies already assessed in the US.
“On the subject of US markets – the FDA’s QMSR, coming into force in February 2026, will also affect the landscape. By aligning more closely with ISO 13485, the US is removing long-standing structural differences between domestic and international expectations. For many companies this could mean less duplication in their quality systems and a smoother path to launching across markets – from US to EU to UK.
“Across Europe and the US, 2026 a year in which AI regulations influence Medical Device submissions and market strategies. The EU AI Act now sits beside MDR and IVDR, introducing firmer expectations around data quality, transparency, human oversight and ongoing monitoring of algorithm performance. In the US, the FDA’s increasing focus on change control for machine-learning devices means companies must demonstrate not only how an algorithm works today but how it will be governed and evaluated throughout its life. Regulatory strategies will need to be built around lifecycle evidence and responsible update pathways.
“In the UK, 2026 could prove to be a defining moment for software and AI medical devices. The MHRA’s Software and AI as a Medical Device programme is shifting from planning into delivery. New guidance is expected on classification, cybersecurity and clinical evidence for adaptive software. This will be a year of applying new expectations. We may also start to see the UK’s ambition for proportionate, innovation-supportive regulation take clearer shape through more predictable requirements and more navigable pathways for AI Medical Device developers.
“2026 will be a period of regulatory convergence and change, to aid manufacturers in market access, and to support software and AI medical device innovation. Companies that invest early in strong data foundations, quality systems and change-management processes will be best placed to benefit from a more harmonised and forward-looking global regulatory environment.”
Dr Anas Nader, A&E doctor and CEO of Patchwork Health – “We’ll see solutions and innovations truly take off and demonstrate their worth.”
“2026 will be the year of “back to front” tech in healthcare – when attention turns to the vital challenge of providing cutting-edge solutions for non-clinical staff. Until now, efforts to digitise healthcare have mainly focused on delivering tech to support clinicians and improve access for patients. While we’ve seen incredible and much progress in these areas, over-indexing on solutions for the frontline neglects the hundreds of thousands of NHS staff working “behind the scenes”, many of whom are being hampered by outdated tools, manual processes and fragmented systems.
“As the pressure to drive efficiencies and improve service delivery continues to intensify, there are enormous productivity gains to be made by bringing the “invisible infrastructure” of our NHS up to scratch. This push to unlock productivity, alongside the broader mission to build a truly digital NHS, can only succeed if the rota coordinators, service planners and operational managers who keep our health service on its feet are given the same level of tailored digital support as their colleagues on the frontline. In 2026, I believe the NHS will truly embrace this space and we’ll see solutions and innovations truly take off and demonstrate their worth.”
Manjul Rathee, CEO of BFB Labs – “Increased, system-wide investment is needed over the coming year to drive this change.”
“My hope for 2026 is simple: that we end the referral ‘ping pong’ in children’s mental health care and connect disjointed servicesto create a more collaborative, sustainable network of support. Right now, the rising child mental health crisis is being met by an equal crisis in provision. Every area of the system is stretched beyond belief. From NHS services battling ever-growing wait lists, to schools shouldering a sharp rise in student need.
“Alone, none of these services can effectively weather the rising tide of youth mental health. But together, with targeted collaboration and the right digital infrastructure, we can create a more cohesive, joined-up system of support, one which connects children with the right support at the right time.
“Technology sits at the heart of this; whether it’s powering increased data sharing to facilitate smoother referrals, or providing scalable digital interventions that provide faster, direct support within the community. Increased, system-wide investment is needed over the coming year to drive this change. With the right tools, we can remove the barriers stalling collaboration and unlock capacity to help young people access vital treatment sooner.”
Dr Sonia Szamocki, founder and CEO of 32Co – “2026 will be an exciting time for healthcare research.”
“I think we’ll see rapid AI adoption in our healthcare settings, both hospitals and local providers. The rise of the AI-powered ‘scribes’ in primary care and Emergency Departments will help tackle clinical burnout. This will move from pilot to core infrastructure, supported by new NHS contracts and an accelerated regulatory framework for the specific use-case.
“2026 will be an exciting time for healthcare research. With drug discovery and clinical trials being made more efficient with AI, I expect to see the approval of potentially life saving products coming sooner.
“Wes Streeting’s 10 Year Health Plan will continue to take shape. I’m hoping that pressure will ease on hospitals as caregiving is redistributed away from hospitals and back to local areas, with the help of remote patient monitoring and virtual wards. I’d like to see an extension of the NHS’ Advice and Guidance scheme empowering GPs to treat more patients without the need for referrals.”
Chris Scarisbrick, deputy UK managing director at Sectra UK and Ireland – “Real progress now requires more than algorithmic enhancements.”
“Diagnostics will set the pace at which healthcare systems can respond to demand and policy imperatives in 2026. Acceleration of initiatives that drive connected and intelligent imaging and pathology services across the NHS will be supported by methodologies that permit system-wide AI adoption and post-market surveillance at pace. But that’s just part of the picture.
“Real progress now requires more than algorithmic enhancements; it demands a step change in integrated diagnostics, platform modernisation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Evidence from UK regions shows that these changes can and do deliver against strategic priorities now set out by the centre. Emulating such pockets of excellence everywhere will have real meaning in a push to break down silos, boost productivity, detect and manage illness early, and propel enhanced patient care.”
Roger Mazzella, Global Medical Industry Leader, Qt Group – “It’s clear that the future of medical devices, whether designed for clinical or home use, will be reliant on usability.”
“2026 looks set to continue the move of healthcare delivery beyond traditional hospital settings and into personal and home use, increasingly diversifying the user base – and our design and manufacturing principles need to keep up.
“There have always been medical devices designed for home use, but now hospital-grade medical devices such as infusion pumps are also being operated in home settings, not just by healthcare workers, but also by family caregivers in certain situations. The development of these devices needs to involve this new group of end users from step one, prioritising simplicity and usability to match the standards set by everyday devices like smartphones. They need to be able to pick up devices and use them intuitively, not waste precious minutes flipping through manuals during medical emergencies.
“Of course, there are still devices like imaging tools or surgical robots that will never transition to home use, but these will face their own usability crisis in 2026. AI is increasingly being used in these clinical devices, and while healthcare professionals are well-versed in how to use them, AI brings a new layer of user trepidation. Intuitive and well-developed UIs will be essential to keep this transition as smooth and safe as possible.
“To me, it’s clear that the future of medical devices, whether designed for clinical or home use, will be reliant on usability. Next year, I believe the most successful companies will be those that treat usability as essential to safety, rather than as a last-stage add-on. Because after all, you won’t buy what you can’t use.”
Graham Watson, Executive Chair of InnoScot Health – “It is reasonable to expect that robot-assisted surgery will continue to move towards AI integration.”
“Robotic surgerywill undoubtedly be an area to watch in 2026, and I expect the groundbreaking technology involved will realise further benefits across the healthcare sector.
“That sustained expansion has been in particular evidence within NHS Scotland, with robots now utilised in many health boards for a range of procedures. With surgeons able to guide robots to perform smaller incisions with improved precision, it means less pain, faster recovery times, and hospital beds being freed up.
“The possibilities for performing remote surgery across great distances are also transforming. For example, Tayside-based expertise recently became central to completing a world-first in robotic stroke surgery with Professor Iris Grunwald successfully performing a remote robotic thrombectomy on a human cadaver from the other side of Dundee.
“A few hours later, a neurosurgeon in Florida went a bold step further by using the same technology to carry out the first transatlantic surgery, removing a blood clot from a human brain in Dundee some 4,000 miles away.
“Scotland has also led the way in executing the first clinical cases of robotic aortic valve replacement (AVR) through a tiny incision in the neck, and this approach could potentially be applied to a wide range of cardiothoracic procedures.
“Earlier this year, Glasgow-based CardioPrecision – a world leader in transcervical access for the treatment of structural heart disease – successfully extended its robotic-assisted procedure to patients with the use of its CoreVista Robot Enabling Platform.
“It is reasonable to expect that robot-assisted surgery will continue to move towards AI integration, meaning the ability to learn from surgical experience, plan optimal paths, and execute parts of a procedure under a surgeon’s supervision.”
Related
link