In one of the UK public sector’s biggest digital workforce overhauls in decades, Infosys has secured a £1.2 billion, 15-year contract to deliver the Future NHS Workforce Solution, replacing the aging Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system that handles payroll for 1.9 million NHS employees. It’s a sweeping modernization effort that will ultimately support more than £55 billion in annual payroll across England and Wales.
Following a lengthy and competitive procurement process, the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) selected Infosys for what is essentially a once-in-a-generation rebuild of the NHS employment backbone—one touching recruitment, onboarding, pay, rostering, talent development, retirement, and the growing need for AI-driven workforce planning.
It’s not just an upgrade; it’s a full renovation of how the NHS manages, supports, and scales its workforce in alignment with the national 10-year Health Plan.
What the NHS Is Buying: A Unified, Data-Driven Workforce Stack
The “Future Workforce Solution” will be a modern, cloud-based platform designed to streamline almost every stage of the NHS employee journey. That includes:
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AI-enhanced workforce planning
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Integrated HR, payroll, and talent systems
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Intuitive, user-focused tools for self-service
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Secure data sharing across connected NHS systems
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Lifecycle management from recruitment to retirement
The current ESR system, while foundational, is notoriously rigid and has struggled to keep pace with the volume, complexity, and operational pressures placed on NHS employers. With healthcare workforce shortages looming and retention challenges mounting, a deeply integrated HR platform isn’t just a convenience—it’s a strategic requirement.
Michael Brodie, NHSBSA Chief Executive, called the shift a “critical step” toward a more agile and sustainable NHS workforce. “This goes far beyond replacing ESR,” he said. “It will help the NHS better attract, retain, and support its people.”
Why Infosys? Scale, UX Modernization, and AI Ambitions
For Infosys, the deal reflects continued momentum in large-scale European public sector transformations. CEO Salil Parekh highlighted the company’s experience in enterprise digitization and its AI suite Infosys Topaz as core differentiators.
The long-term contract signals a massive investment in AI-driven HR modernization—a trend accelerating globally as governments and healthcare systems rethink legacy HR stacks.
The NHS project aligns with similar mega-rebuilds happening across Europe, where organizations are replacing fragmented systems with unified workforce platforms capable of supporting predictive staffing, real-time analytics, and more automated HR operations.
The Stakes: Workforce Modernization as a Clinical Imperative
The NHS employs roughly 5% of the entire UK workforce, and its ability to operate efficiently has a direct impact on patient care. An outdated HR system creates friction for clinicians already stretched thin—lost time on paperwork, broken data flows, and limited visibility into staffing needs.
A modern platform promises:
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Faster onboarding during staffing shortages
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Streamlined payroll accuracy at national scale
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Better scheduling and staffing models informed by AI
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Reduced administrative burden for clinicians
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Improved employee experience, a persistent NHS challenge
The NHS is betting that a unified platform will help address systemic workforce challenges—retention, training, planning, and mobility—that no amount of short-term hiring can fix.
Looking Ahead: 15 Years of Transformation
Infosys’ 15-year runway underscores how complex this implementation will be. Migrating millions of employee records, reshaping workflows across hundreds of NHS organizations, and integrating with deeply entrenched systems will require not only technology but change management at national scale.
Still, if the system performs as envisioned, it could position the NHS as a global leader in healthcare workforce transformation—a model other national health systems may look to emulate.
For now, the spotlight is on Infosys to deliver a platform worthy of the NHS’s central role in UK life.
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