Latest Digital Maturity Assessment Data Reveals Trusts Reporting Lowest Digital Maturity

Why It Matters

Low digital maturity limits care coordination and efficiency, while the upward trend and upcoming Epic rollout signal accelerating NHS transformation. Understanding these gaps helps providers prioritize investment in technology and cybersecurity.

Key Takeaways

• Torbay and South Devon score 1.5, lowest in 2025
• Royal Orthopaedic Hospital drops to 1.6 from 2.0
• Top acute trusts reach 3.6, showing maturity gap
• Panel highlights cloud, AI, cyber resilience as priority
• Torbay plans Epic EPR go-live April 3, 2026

Pulse Analysis

The NHS Digital Maturity Assessment evaluates 47 domains, assigning each trust a score from 1 to 5. In the 2025 release, the Torbay and South Devon Foundation Trusts recorded the lowest rating at 1.5, barely improving on last year’s 1.4. Other trusts near the bottom, such as the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and several community providers, hovered between 1.6 and 1.9, highlighting a stark contrast with leading organisations that exceed a 3.5 score. This disparity underscores the challenges many NHS entities face in modernising legacy systems and delivering seamless digital services.

Despite the low scores, the overall trend points toward gradual improvement. Several trusts nudged their ratings upward, reflecting targeted investments in cloud infrastructure, artificial‑intelligence tools, and cyber‑resilience programs. A recent expert panel, featuring leaders from Bath, Salisbury and Great Western Group, Royal Berkshire, and Rackspace Technology, dissected these themes, emphasizing that fragmented cloud landscapes and outdated EPRs remain major barriers. Their insights suggest that strategic alignment of technology roadmaps with patient‑centric outcomes will be crucial for closing the maturity gap.

Torbay and South Devon’s planned Epic EPR launch on 3 April 2026 marks a pivotal step for a trust previously at the bottom of the rankings. By consolidating hundreds of legacy applications into a single platform and introducing the MY CARE patient portal, the trust aims to boost clinical efficiency and patient engagement. Lessons drawn from Royal Devon’s earlier Epic deployment are guiding a safer rollout, illustrating how peer learning can accelerate digital transformation across the NHS. As more trusts adopt integrated EPRs, the sector is likely to see faster progress toward higher maturity scores and more resilient, data‑driven care delivery.