Navigating the NHS: A Guide for Health Tech Startups

The NHS is complex. That’s not news to anyone working in or with it. But for digital health companies looking to partner with it, the scale of that complexity can stall even the most promising solutions.

Procurement timelines, stakeholder mapping, and commissioning priorities from national policy bodies create a tangled web. Navigating this without a clear strategic lens can feel like throwing ideas into the void.

Too often, business development in healthcare becomes reactive. We chase tenders, respond to funding calls, and try to squeeze into someone else’s transformation agenda. The problem isn’t the ambition—it’s the absence of a system-level view.

That’s where systems thinking makes all the difference.

What Is Systems Thinking, and Why Does It Matter in Health Tech?

Systems thinking means understanding how parts of a system interact. It’s about how decisions, incentives, behaviours, and outcomes are all connected. This mindset looks for root causes, not just symptoms. It maps interdependencies before jumping into execution.

In NHS engagement, that translates to:

• Seeing beyond one Integrated Care System (ICS), one buyer, or one problem.

• Understanding how a solution impacts multiple stakeholders simultaneously.

• Designing a strategy that aligns with operational pressures, clinical goals, and procurement logic.

• Spotting where delays or resistance might come from—before they happen.

  
  

It’s project management that doesn’t just “move tasks along.” It aligns every decision to the bigger picture of system value.

What This Looks Like in Practice

When I work with digital health clients, I often start by mapping out not just their ideal buyer, but the wider context:

• What is the ICS trying to solve at the system level?

• Where does this solution sit across primary, secondary, community, and diagnostic care?

• Who loses capacity, funding, or control if this is implemented—and who gains?

• What data is needed to demonstrate value across pathways?

• What upstream processes (e.g., primary/secondary care interdependence, digital system integration, DPIA approval) might block adoption?

  
  

This approach leads to stronger positioning, better pilot design, and more meaningful conversations with NHS stakeholders. You’re not just pitching a product; you’re proposing a solution that solves for the system.

Business Development Is Project Management

The truth is, good business development in healthcare is just good project management. And vice versa.

Business Development Management (BDM) isn’t just about booking meetings. It’s about aligning opportunities with outcomes. It’s managing risk and translating user feedback into roadmap priorities. It’s helping teams stay focused on the right milestones—not just the ones that look good on paper.

The more I’ve worked with founders and delivery teams, the clearer it’s become: successful NHS engagement requires operational thinking, not just sales skills. When business development is built on systems thinking, companies become more adaptable, evidence-driven, and ultimately more trusted by NHS partners.

What Ethical Ventures Can Learn from This

For purpose-led or non-profit organisations, systems thinking provides a values-aligned framework for growth.

It encourages teams to ask:

• Is this the right partnership, or just a quick win?

• Are we designing solutions with people, or for them?

• Are our business operations reinforcing the mission—or pulling us away from it?

  
  

In my work, I help organisations design value-led strategies that balance sustainability with social impact. This might mean training operational teams in systems mapping, embedding reflective practices into project delivery, or designing roadmaps that honour both mission and margin.

The Importance of a Holistic Approach

Understanding the entire system is crucial. You can’t fix a system you don’t understand. Whether you’re trying to get a digital health product into the NHS or scale an ethical business within a fragmented market, success comes from seeing the whole picture.

This means business development that’s rooted in systems thinking. It involves project delivery that’s strategically aligned and a mindset that’s curious, collaborative, and courageous.

Conclusion

If you’re a purpose-led organisation or digital health founder looking for more clarity in your NHS strategy or internal operations, I’d love to help.

Book a session here

Let’s map it out together.