NIR Onboarding Drop-In – 13 October 2026
Highlights and Programme Updates
Thank you to everyone who joined our latest NIR Onboarding Drop-In. We had some really useful discussions around onboarding timescales, funding, supplier readiness and how best to approach NIR connectivity alongside existing PACS and RIS plans.
Here’s a roundup of the key updates.
Onboarding Timescales – Positive Progress
We’re starting to see some really encouraging results from our supplier onboarding journey.
Our first technically conformant supplier completed its onboarding journey in approximately 2.4 months, following around 2 weeks of pre-engagement.
This is a positive early benchmark and demonstrates that suppliers can progress through the NIR assurance and technical conformance process relatively quickly once they’re ready to begin.
For Trusts and Imaging Networks, the picture is understandably more variable. Pre-engagement timescales depend heavily on existing digital programmes, local priorities, supplier arrangements and when NIR activity can be scheduled alongside other work.
Many Trusts are extremely keen to get connected, and we’re currently anticipating a cluster of go-lives around March and April 2027.
As more Letters of Agreement (LoAs) are completed, we’ll be able to build a more definitive national roadmap showing which Trusts are planning to connect, and when.
Until then, we’re continuing our engagement with Trusts and Imaging Networks across the country to establish their connection approaches, support requirements and expected timelines.
Letters of Agreement – Helping Us Build the National Picture
One of our key messages this week is to start your Letter of Agreement (LoA) as early as possible, even if you don’t plan to connect immediately.
The LoA serves two important purposes:
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Funding and support: It enables you to request funding and Tiger Team support across the three-year programme, including supplier costs, technical upgrades, local resources and backfill.
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National connectivity planning: It helps us understand when organisations expect to connect, allowing us to build a clearer picture of NIR deployment over the next three years.
You don’t need to wait until all your technical plans are finalised to begin the conversation.
Damine Patel, our NIR Tiger Team Coordinator, can help you complete the LoA, work through supplier requirements and identify the resources you may need.
To arrange a discussion, please contact Damine at damine.patel@nhs.net.
For specific funding questions, you can also contact the Diagnostics Digital Capabilities programme at england.diagnostics.ddcp@nhs.net.
Tiger Team – Clinical Safety Support
A reminder that the NIR Tiger Team also provides dedicated clinical safety support.
If your clinical safety colleagues would like to understand the assurance requirements, DCB0160 responsibilities, hazard management or the evidence needed for onboarding, we can arrange an early conversation.
There’s no need to wait until onboarding or implementation is underway. In fact, getting clinical safety colleagues involved early can help avoid delays further into onboarding.
If you’d like to arrange support, please email england.nirdelivery@nhs.net.
Connecting Legacy Systems or Waiting for a PACS/RIS Procurement?
We had a particularly useful discussion around whether organisations should connect their existing PACS or RIS to NIR now, or wait until a planned procurement or replacement system is deployed.
Our view is that there’s a strong case for exploring connectivity now, rather than automatically waiting for a future procurement.
Funding is currently available to support organisations in unlocking the clinical benefits of NIR. Meanwhile, PACS and RIS procurements can take anywhere from six months to several years, depending on their complexity, scope and the number of hospitals involved.
For organisations with a planned replacement system, there may be an opportunity to:
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Connect the existing system now, accessing the clinical benefits of NIR while the procurement progresses.
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Include NIR connectivity in the new system requirements, so the replacement PACS or RIS already supports the necessary integration when deployed.
Our attached NIR Supplier Landscape shows the progress suppliers are making through onboarding and technical conformance. This can help inform discussions with both incumbent and prospective suppliers. This is updated on a six-weekly basis.
Supplier landscape_NIR_12.10.26.pdf (880.8 KB)
We’ve seen organisations undertaking PACS upgrades or procurements including NIR connectivity as a mandatory requirement within their tender specifications.
This helps ensure that the required integration is built into the product and deployment approach from the outset, rather than creating a second implementation exercise further down the line.
How individual Trusts and regions conduct their procurements remains a local decision, and the best approach will depend on each organisation’s circumstances.
However, we do encourage a proactive approach to planning your NIR connection as part your procurement exercise, to provide you with the flexibility to benefit from NIR while maintaining connectivity as systems evolve.
If you’re weighing up whether to connect an existing system or wait for a replacement, we’re happy to talk through the options with you. You can reach the team at: england.nirdelivery@nhs.net
NIR Supplier Landscape – Latest Progress
We’ve included the latest NIR Supplier Landscape with this update.
It provides an overview of suppliers progressing through the NIR onboarding journey, including their position within the Digital Onboarding Service (DOS) and technical conformance process.
We encourage you to use this information when speaking with your suppliers about their NIR readiness, product versions and expected delivery dates.
Supplier readiness is an important part of planning; but it doesn’t prevent Trusts from beginning their own funding and governance work in parallel.
Stay Connected
Our NIR Onboarding Drop-In runs fortnightly on Tuesdays at 3pm, and you’re always welcome to bring questions, blockers or colleagues who would benefit from speaking directly with the team.
For onboarding support, clinical safety queries, funding discussions or help with your Letter of Agreement, contact:
england.nirdelivery@nhs.net
You can also find the latest guidance and supporting documentation on our NIR Onboarding Guidance webpage.
Thanks again to everyone who’s been engaging with us. It’s encouraging to see both suppliers and healthcare organisations progressing, and we’re looking forward to turning that work into live connections over the coming months.
