Growth. It’s a constant watchword for the current UK economy. But while areas such as transport, infrastructure and energy are all indeed necessary priorities in the quest for growth, economic strategy should not overlook one of the UK’s strongest assets: the NHS.

Far from being just a public service, the NHS is a national growth engine – powering productivity, supporting millions of jobs, and driving health outcomes that directly benefit the economy. With the right investment and vision, this potential can be harnessed to enable more ambitious digitisation, stronger public-private partnerships, and funding that acts as long-term strategic investment.

A pillar of the UK workforce

The NHS relies on people – their passion, skills and dedication – to provide effective care on a population-wide scale. It employs more than 1.5 million people from all over the country in a wide variety of roles to keep services running effectively. That workforce is not just a service delivery mechanism – it’s an economic driver. By offering job opportunities at this scale, the NHS boosts consumption rates and stimulates the economy in a pan-regional, truly national way – something that would be nigh on impossible for any other organisation.

The backbone of a productive nation

The role of the NHS in improving health outcomes has a significant impact on the wider UK workforce. Sickness and injury accounted for more than 148 million working days being lost in 2024, and employee absences are costing UK businesses more than £100bn every year. The health service is pivotal to addressing this. Fast access to treatment and preventative healthcare, all delivered free at the point of use, is key to supporting employees to remain in the UK workforce for longer.

Unlocking the NHS engine as a driver for growth

But the value of the NHS goes beyond its role as an employer and the guardian of the nation’s health and wellbeing. It also holds vast potential when it comes to generating both domestic and international growth opportunities. For too long, the NHS has been seen as a cost centre for UK Plc; a major taxpayer burden and an overwhelmingly large line on the Treasury’s balance sheet. To tap into its true growth potential, that must change. Instead of being seen as a burden, we must start seeing the NHS as a platform for innovation, growth, and global influence.

The NHS as a research and innovation powerhouse

Firstly, the NHS has the potential to be the UK’s most valuable strategic partner for R&D and life sciences. Its unique national scale, rich longitudinal patient data, and public trust create an environment few health systems globally can match. When modernised, the NHS becomes a launchpad for clinical trials, a partner for biotech breakthroughs, and a hub for life sciences innovation.

While the US and Europe face fragmented systems and data silos, the UK has the ability to run nationally coordinated studies, adopt new technologies, and deliver innovation at scale. We already see this in areas like genomics, where NHS-backed programmes are world-leading. With the right investment, the UK can double down on its strengths – further entrenching the NHS’ position as the heart of a thriving life sciences sector and magnet for global research investment.

Exporing innovation and best practice

In addition, the NHS isn’t just a domestic health service, it has the potential to be a global brand synonymous with high-quality care, system innovation and best practice. From digital health tools to workforce models and regulatory approaches, the UK has a chance to export not just health technologies, but proven ways of delivering care efficiently and equitably.

With the right policy and regulatory environment, a modernised NHS could do for healthcare what Silicon Valley did for technology: becoming a global hub for exporting innovation, best practice, and managerial models. Healthcare systems around the world are looking for answers to the same challenges and the NHS, when empowered, can offer them. By positioning itself as an exemplar of scalable, data-backed healthcare delivery, the NHS can help fuel the UK’s next great export sector: healthcare innovation and excellence.

A cornerstone of modern UK growth

Investment in the NHS shouldn’t be seen as a burden on taxpayers, but a strategic economic decision. In a post-industrial economy, healthcare – and the innovation it powers – could be one of Britain’s greatest exports. The NHS can and should be a cornerstone of a modern UK growth strategy – one that not only creates and sustains a healthy nation and vast workforce, but one that generates new sectors, economic hubs, and export opportunities. To go for growth, we must put health at the heart of our plans.