Mr Nathan Hall, Deputy Director of Diagnostics (Physiological Science) at NHS England (NHSE), shares an update.
During 2025-26, NHSE has invested £40 million capital in improving and upgrading equipment and facilities for physiological science services. This is in addition to other local initiatives and further national investments through the Community Diagnostic Centre programme.
The national capital funding was accessed on the back of data from the National Physiological Science Data Collections which evidenced that many physiological science services in England (including echocardiography) were operating with aged equipment.
Echocardiography became a key priority for this fund, and it is estimated that more than £10 million of the fund has been targeted to cardiac science services.
To help ensure best value from investment in echocardiography machines, the NHSE Physiological Science Programme worked with NHS Supply Chain and the British Society of Echocardiography to develop a high level clinical specification to inform the procurement and supply of echocardiography machines purchased through this capital. It was recognised that there is significant variation in the type of machine used in different clinical settings, and with increasing numbers of echocardiography tests being delivered outside of traditional hospital settings, there is a need to ensure standardisation of the functionality of machine (ensuring the right machine is used for the right task). Standardisation also enables suppliers to offer best value prices for procurements made through NHS Supply Chain.
We would encourage the attached high-level specification to be used to inform procurement of all echocardiography machines across the NHS.
During 2026-29 ICBs across England have access to further capital funding to improve diagnostic services, and it is expected that echocardiography services will continue to benefit from this local funding.
The NHS Supply Chain team can support local procurements of echocardiography equipment, and can be contacted via [email protected].
View the clinical specification