For early stage healthtech start ups, having a robust value proposition is the first task that they need to tick off. However it sometimes gets overlooked. The excitement of taking an idea, shaping it and wanting to start building takes over.
However, so many areas for the start up is based on the value proposition, from been able to succinctly communicate the problem, how the proposed solution meets a need, the effectiveness of the solution and the cost effectiveness of the solution.
So start up’s, get your value proposition in a good place and it will help your journey into the NHS.
The following dissects the key components of a good value proposition:
The four elements of a Value Proposition
When you dissect the VP, it consists of the following four elements:
1. The Problem, Who does it affect, why does it affect them?
2. The consequence, What does it cost, the clinical implications on the workforce
3. The Intervention, What does it change? What needs to change?
4. The Impact, What are the benefits, i.e cost, time, experience, the “so what’
Once you have the four elements nailed down, your next challenge is getting onto one page. You need to ensure the following areas are covered:
Scene setting
- What the innovation is?
- Where in the health system your innovation is intended to be used?
- Who the innovation is relevant to?
- What process or pathway your innovation supports or replaces?
Unmet need/Problem
- What’s the cause of the problem?
- What are the limitations or ineffectiveness of the current best practice or existing pathway of treatment?
Consequence of the problem/unmet need
- Describe how this unresolved problem or unmet need affects patients and NHS services, even the whole population, including:
- Patient and/or staff experience
- Clinical Outcomes
- Resources utilisation and service organisation
What is the intervention?
- What the innovation is and how it works
- How the service will be delivered
- How patients will be identified
- How the organisational change and the process of implementation will occur – this includes any key enabling work, training and baseline measurements
- Any clinical pathway changes to be made in order to implement the innovation
What is the impact, benefit or difference in outcome?
- Describe and quantify the improvements in patient or user experience, patient outcomes or use of resources from this new way of working. Examples of measures could include:
- Clinical outcomes for example, Blood Pressure, 1 year mortality, functional outcomes, adverse events
- Patient reported outcomes for example, quality of life, patient preferences, patient satisfaction
- Service organisation for example, length of stay in hospital, staff resources required, GP attendances, hospital admissions, readmissions
- Provision of comparative measure, for example provide figures for when the innovation is used alongside. Figures for when the innovation is used alongside, figures for when the alternative intervention or pathway is used or provide a percentage for the improvement
Aligning your VP to the NHS
Innovators have the responsibility to determine the relevant social value themes for their business and incorporate it into the value proposition. This is particularly important for NHS tenders as up to 10% of the assessment will be based on this.
Examples of these themes could include:
Fighting climate change
COVID 19
Wellbeing
Economic inequality
Equal opportunities
NHS 10 Year Plan
Communicating your Value Proposition
When considering how to effectively communicating your value proposition, it is important to have a diverse range of approaches, based on the VP.
This could include the following:
Strap Line – a few seconds
Pitch – 60 seconds and 3 minute version
Value Proposition conversation – 1 hour
Review of specific insights & evidence from evaluation – many hours
Here are some useful links to get you started:
Tim East, June 2026