It begins with a shift in tone from government. Health Minister Zubir Ahmed has outlined a new ambition for the NHS to realise the financial value of its information assets. Analysts estimate that the UK’s health data is worth more than nine billion pounds and the Treasury is now looking to capture some of that value as the service faces long-standing deficits and rising demand.
Inside NHS England the rhetoric has evolved. Alex Crossley, a senior director, has argued that technology must transition from a cost centre into a profit centre, a sentiment that marks a notable change in how national leaders are thinking about data, research partnerships and digital infrastructure. It reflects a growing belief that the NHS might be able to support its financial resilience not only through efficiencies but through new revenue streams driven by data and innovation.
Predictably, the tension is immediate. Public concern about profiteering and the erosion of privacy remains strong, and ministers have had to address this directly. Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting has promised that Labour will not sell off NHS patient data and that any commercial arrangements must be grounded in patient benefit, strict controls and clear public oversight. The challenge is clear. The service must balance financial need with ethical governance while preserving trust in one of the most sensitive categories of public information.
Some trusts have already begun to explore what this might look like. Marc Farr, Chief Analytical Officer at East Kent Hospitals, has been candid about the potential for research partnerships to make a material impact on deficits. His modelling suggests that annual revenue of more than one million pounds for larger organisations is achievable. The appeal lies in the nature of the data that hospitals hold. National datasets offer breadth but trust-level datasets offer depth. Oxygen saturation trends, blood pressure readings, imaging archives and thousands of clinical markers collected over years create a rich environment for research and real-world evidence. For pharmaceutical companies and life sciences innovators these datasets are invaluable for understanding disease progression, evaluating treatments and improving patient pathways.
The NHS now finds itself navigating two routes for commercial partnerships. National Secure Data Environments provide a controlled space for research, with rigorous safeguards, audit trails and approved access. Alongside them sits the Health Data Research Service, designed to coordinate and streamline national research. Both offer scale and safety. Yet some trusts argue that this alone is not enough. Working independently of the national SDE can provide greater agility, allowing local teams to partner directly with universities or specialist analytics organisations and move at a pace that national programmes sometimes struggle to match. Trusts under financial pressure may need to pursue several approaches simultaneously, backing a few different horses to see where results appear first.
Whatever the commercial model, the ethical core must remain intact. Health data carries a unique sensitivity and the public’s approval is foundational. Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board has begun to articulate what a modern social licence could look like, outlining principles that include involving communities early, being honest about the purpose of data use, protecting data with the strongest available safeguards, offering genuine patient choice and ensuring fair usage. These principles recognise that public support must be earned, not assumed.
The narrative surrounding data also matters. If the story is framed as the NHS selling data to fill a financial gap, the public’s reaction will be predictable. A different story is both truer and more compelling. The NHS safely links data for research, generates revenue and directs that revenue to patient care. When the outcome is tangible, such as expanding a cancer nursing team or investing in left shift models that move care closer to home, the social licence becomes stronger. People are more open to data sharing when they see a direct improvement in services that matter to them. Open data saves lives and, when used safely, accelerates research that benefits patients today and builds knowledge for the future.
The NHS is now entering a decisive phase in its data strategy. The financial pressures are undeniable and the incentives for research partnerships continue to grow. Yet the success of data commercialisation depends on more than revenue. It requires transparent governance, clear communication and a sustained commitment to public trust. If the national SDE network matures as planned and local initiatives continue to demonstrate visible patient benefit, the NHS may unlock the full value of its data while strengthening, not weakening, the trust that defines it.
