In a landmark win for the global tech consultancy, Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY) has been awarded a £1.2 billion, 15-year contract by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) to deliver the Future NHS Workforce Solution—a massive modernization initiative designed to transform how the UK’s National Health Service manages its people, payroll, and workforce data.
The new platform will replace the NHS’s Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system, which currently supports payroll for 1.9 million employees across England and Wales, handling over £55 billion in annual pay. It marks one of the most ambitious digital transformation projects in the NHS’s history.
A Strategic Leap Toward the NHS of the Future
The Future NHS Workforce Solution aligns with the NHS 10-Year Health Plan, focusing on creating a “workforce fit for the future.” Rather than simply updating legacy software, the project aims to reimagine the entire employee experience—from hiring to retirement—powered by advanced data analytics, automation, and AI.
By modernizing infrastructure and improving digital capabilities, Infosys and NHSBSA aim to free up time for healthcare professionals to do what they do best: deliver excellent patient care.
Why Infosys? A Record of Digital Transformation
Following a rigorous procurement process, Infosys was selected for its proven global expertise in large-scale digital transformation, user-centric design, and operational excellence.
The company’s strong track record with public sector modernization projects, coupled with its proprietary AI-powered platform “Infosys Topaz,” played a key role in securing the deal.
Building the Workforce Solution of Tomorrow
The new system will be data-driven, flexible, and fully integrated, covering every stage of the employee lifecycle:
-
Recruitment & Onboarding – streamlined and automated
-
Payroll & Benefits – modernized systems to manage £55 billion annually
-
Career Development – AI-powered insights into skills and training
-
Retirement Planning – smoother processes for long-serving NHS staff
Infosys promises a seamless, intuitive interface, enabling employees to manage personal data, pay, and progression effortlessly—reducing administrative friction and empowering staff to focus on patient outcomes.
AI, Data, and Design at the Core
The Future NHS Workforce Solution will be infused with AI-driven decision support, predictive analytics, and data integration capabilities that enable smarter workforce planning. This means the NHS can proactively manage staffing shortages, forecast demand, and optimize recruitment—all from a unified digital platform.
In essence, it’s a people management system built for an AI-powered healthcare era.
Integration Without Friction
One of the biggest challenges facing the NHS has been the fragmentation of systems—from payroll to scheduling to compliance. The Infosys platform promises seamless interoperability with existing NHS systems, ensuring that upgrades improve—not disrupt—daily operations.
This integration-first approach reflects Infosys’s strategy of modular modernization—modernizing core systems while minimizing downtime.
Voices from the Top: Commitment to Transformation
Michael Brodie, Chief Executive of NHSBSA, described the program as “a critical step” in enabling the NHS workforce for the future.
“The solution will go far beyond simply replacing ESR—it will be a strategic enabler for building a workforce that is fit for the future. By working with Infosys, we’re creating a modern, data-driven solution that will help the NHS better attract, retain and support its people,” said Brodie.
Salil Parekh, CEO and Managing Director of Infosys, emphasized the partnership’s scale and significance:
“The NHS is a cornerstone of life in the UK, providing vital services that touch millions every day. We are honored to deliver generational change for NHS employees through this project. With our AI capabilities and experience in digital transformation, we will empower the NHS to elevate its invaluable work into the future.”
A System Built for Scale and Sustainability
Handling payroll for nearly two million employees is no small feat. Infosys’s next-gen platform is expected to operate at massive scale, processing billions in transactions annually while maintaining top-tier security, compliance, and accessibility standards.
The project also aligns with NHS sustainability goals, focusing on cloud-native infrastructure that reduces carbon footprint and supports scalable, energy-efficient operations.
Empowering NHS Employees
For the NHS’s vast workforce, the benefits will be tangible. The platform will introduce self-service tools that allow employees to:
-
Update personal information
-
Access payslips and tax documents instantly
-
Manage leave and benefits digitally
-
Track career growth and training milestones
In other words, healthcare professionals will spend less time navigating bureaucracy—and more time caring for patients.
Beyond ESR: A Generational Upgrade
The Electronic Staff Record system, first introduced in 2008, has served the NHS for over a decade. But with changing workforce demands, data complexity, and security needs, it has reached the limits of scalability.
The Infosys-built solution represents not just a replacement—but a strategic reinvention of how the NHS manages its people. It’s a generational leap from legacy HR systems to AI-assisted workforce orchestration.
Public-Private Collaboration at Its Best
This deal underscores a growing trend: the UK public sector’s reliance on private tech partnerships to drive innovation. From the Home Office’s AI deployments to NHS digital upgrades, collaboration with firms like Infosys, Accenture, and IBM is defining the next decade of public technology transformation.
By bringing its digital-first expertise and AI platform capabilities, Infosys joins that movement—helping modernize one of the world’s most complex public healthcare systems.
About NHSBSA
The NHS Business Services Authority is an arm’s-length body under the UK Department of Health and Social Care. It provides critical national services such as NHS Pension schemes, prescription pricing, and recruitment systems. Its mission: to deliver business service excellence that helps people live longer, healthier lives.
Join thousands of HR leaders who rely on HRTechEdge for the latest in workforce technology, AI-driven HR solutions, and strategic insights
