🙋‍♀️ How to pitch HealthTech to the NHS

Summary

• This guide breaks down the realities of NHS procurement and how HealthTech innovators can tailor their approach to resonate with NHS priorities.
• It emphasizes the importance of understanding the NHS as a fragmented system—not one entity—and identifies who within an organization actually holds influence over purchasing decisions.
• The carousel also shares best practices for structuring pilots, managing follow-up, and building lasting relationships that lead to adoption.

What this carousel covers

• Who to pitch to across NHS settings: GP practices, ICSs, hospitals—focusing on the clinical, managerial, and nursing triad
• How to approach initial conversations with clarity, curiosity, and realistic expectations
• Why paid pilots with clear KPIs are more valuable than free ones, and how to position them for mutual benefit
• The importance of strategic follow-up: sending one-pagers, understanding organizational readiness, and staying top-of-mind

Key takeaways

• The NHS isn’t a single buyer—know the landscape, identify budget holders, and tailor your approach
• Listening > selling: ask about operational problems before proposing your solution
• Don’t try to be everything—be clear about the specific pathway your product fits into
• Pilots need ownership and purpose; paid trials with defined metrics signal value and increase the chance of scaling

‍