Remote Patient Monitoring: What the NHS Needs to Get Right in 2026
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Remote Patient Monitoring: What the NHS Needs to Get Right in 2026

Digiovations Ltd26 April 2026

The NHS and Remote Patient Monitoring: What Needs to Change by 2026

Imagine a world where you can monitor your health from the comfort of your home, with your care team instantly alerted if something’s wrong. No more waiting weeks for appointments. No unnecessary hospital visits. Just timely, data-driven care when and where you need it. That’s the promise of Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)—a transformative technology that has the potential to reshape healthcare delivery in the NHS.

But while the promise of RPM is clear, the path to achieving it is not. The NHS has faced significant challenges in scaling innovative technologies, from interoperability barriers to workforce readiness. As we look ahead to 2026, what does the NHS need to get right to ensure RPM reaches its full potential? Here’s our take, based on 20+ years of hands-on solutions architecture in NHS and healthcare settings.

Why Remote Patient Monitoring is Central to NHS Modernisation

The NHS is under immense pressure. An ageing population, rising rates of chronic disease, and workforce shortages have strained the system to its limits. The elective care backlog, exacerbated by the pandemic, has left millions waiting for treatment. Meanwhile, healthcare budgets are tighter than ever, and capacity cannot keep up with demand.

Remote Patient Monitoring offers a lifeline. By enabling patients to monitor their health at home using wearable devices, apps, and sensors, RPM reduces the need for in-person appointments and hospital visits. This is particularly critical for managing long-term conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and heart failure, which account for a significant share of NHS resources.

But RPM does more than just alleviate pressure on services. When done properly, it delivers better outcomes for patients—empowering them to manage their own health while ensuring that clinicians can intervene before problems escalate. For the NHS, it means cost savings, improved patient satisfaction, and better use of resources.

However, to unlock these benefits at scale, the NHS must overcome several key challenges.

1. Interoperability: Making Data Work Across Systems

The NHS has long struggled with fragmented systems and siloed data. While individual trusts, GP practices, and community teams rely on different systems, the lack of integration means critical patient information often doesn’t flow freely. For RPM to succeed, data from wearables, apps, and remote monitoring devices must seamlessly integrate with existing Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and other clinical systems.

What Needs to Be Done

  • FHIR Standards Compliance: Ensuring that RPM solutions comply with NHS FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) standards is non-negotiable. Building FHIR-compliant APIs and data models will allow systems to share patient data securely and in real time.
  • Inter-system Communication: NHS trusts need to invest in middleware solutions and data integration platforms to enable communication across disparate systems.
  • Centralised Data Governance: A unified strategy for data governance will ensure that patient data is secure, accurate, and accessible to the right people at the right time.

2. Adoption: Putting Patients and Clinicians First

Technology is only valuable if people use it. Yet, adoption remains a significant hurdle for RPM in the NHS. Patients may be hesitant to engage with new technologies, and clinicians may resist due to concerns over added workload or lack of training.

What Needs to Be Done

  • Patient-Centric Design: RPM tools must be easy to use, intuitive, and accessible to patients of all ages and technical abilities. This includes ensuring inclusivity for those with disabilities or limited digital literacy.
  • Clinician Involvement: Frontline staff need to be involved in the selection and design of RPM solutions to ensure they address real-world challenges and integrate smoothly into clinical workflows.
  • Comprehensive Training and Support: Both patients and clinicians require training to use RPM tools effectively. Ongoing support should be available to troubleshoot issues and encourage long-term adoption.
  • Clear Communication of Benefits: Patients and clinicians need to understand how RPM will improve care outcomes and reduce workload, not add to it. Success stories and data-backed evidence can help build trust.

3. Evidence and Outcomes: Proving the Value of RPM

For RPM to secure funding and scale within the NHS, its value must be measurable. Commissioners and decision-makers need evidence that it improves outcomes and reduces costs.

What Needs to Be Done

  • Clinical Validation: Conduct robust clinical trials to demonstrate the efficacy of RPM in improving patient outcomes, such as reducing hospital admissions or improving disease management.
  • Data-Driven Decision-Making: Use data to show how RPM can reduce costs, improve productivity, and deliver measurable ROI. This is especially important for building the case to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs).
  • Standardised Metrics: Develop a set of standard metrics to evaluate RPM solutions across different settings, ensuring consistency and comparability.

4. Regulatory Compliance: Meeting NHS Standards

The NHS operates in a tightly regulated environment, with stringent standards like DTAC (Digital Technology Assessment Criteria), DSPT (Data Security and Protection Toolkit), and GDS (Government Digital Service). Non-compliance can derail even the most promising projects.

What Needs to Be Done

  • Built-in Compliance: RPM solutions must be designed with regulatory standards in mind from the outset. This includes robust security measures to protect patient data and compliance with clinical safety standards like DCB0129.
  • Proactive Risk Management: Regular audits and risk assessments are essential to identify and address compliance gaps before they become critical issues.
  • Clear Communication with Stakeholders: Demonstrating compliance to regulators, boards, and other stakeholders is crucial for gaining approvals and scaling solutions.

5. Infrastructure: Scaling for Success

For RPM to work at scale, the NHS needs the right technical and organisational infrastructure. Without it, even the best-designed solutions will fail.

What Needs to Be Done

  • Cloud-First Architecture: Leveraging platforms like Microsoft Azure can provide the scalability and flexibility required to handle the vast amounts of data generated by RPM.
  • Network Connectivity: Reliable internet access is essential for patients using RPM devices, particularly in rural or underserved areas. The NHS must work with telecom providers to address connectivity gaps.
  • Integration with NHS Digital Services: RPM solutions should integrate seamlessly with existing NHS services like the NHS App, enabling a unified experience for patients and clinicians.

6. Ethical and Equity Considerations: Leaving No One Behind

While RPM can improve access to care, it also risks widening health inequalities if not implemented thoughtfully. Patients without access to technology or digital skills could be left behind.

What Needs to Be Done

  • Digital Inclusion Initiatives: Provide devices and internet access to patients who cannot afford them. Partner with community organisations to deliver digital literacy training.
  • Equity by Design: Ensure that RPM solutions are designed to meet the needs of diverse populations, including those with limited English proficiency or disabilities.
  • Ethical Use of Data: Be transparent about how patient data is used, stored, and shared. Build trust by adhering to the highest ethical standards.

The Role of Digiovations in Shaping the Future of RPM

At Digiovations, we’ve spent over 20 years solving complex challenges in healthcare technology. We understand the unique regulatory, operational, and cultural complexities of the NHS. Our tailored approach—grounded in standards like FHIR, DTAC, and DSPT—ensures every solution we deliver is not only innovative but also practical and compliant.

Through our dedication to senior-first delivery, we bring decades of solutions architecture expertise directly to the table, helping NHS trusts and ICBs avoid the common pitfalls that derail digital transformation projects. With Evolve Works, we ensure your Microsoft 365 and Azure estates are ready to support data-driven RPM solutions. And with Ignite Studio, we can deliver AI-powered healthcare applications in weeks, not months.

Looking Ahead: Unlocking the Full Potential of RPM in the NHS

The next three years are critical for the NHS to get Remote Patient Monitoring right. With the right focus on interoperability, adoption, evidence, compliance, infrastructure, and equity, the NHS can transform how it delivers care—reducing pressure on services while improving outcomes for patients.

At Digiovations, we’re ready to help you build what’s next and transform what’s now. If you’re grappling with the complexities of modernising NHS services or scaling RPM solutions, let’s talk about how we can deliver measurable outcomes that make a real difference.

Build what's next. Transform what's now. Get in touch today.