Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 18 October 2026.

• £140 million invested into 14 new urgent care schemes from new urgent treatment centres and ambulance fleets to emergency department upgrades
• Additional 25 new or expanded urgent care sites opening in time for winter 
• Public encouraged to get flu jabs to help ease pressure on the NHS this winter

After the busiest summer in NHS history, the government is boosting urgent care capacity as the health service prepares for one of our most challenging winters.

Today (18 October), the government is announcing that almost £140 million will be invested in 14 new urgent care schemes across England, including new urgent treatment centres (UTCs) and same day emergency care services (SDECs), new ambulance fleets, and emergency department upgrades, providing a significant increase in frontline and urgent care capacity.

A further 25 new or expanded urgent care sites announced in April will be open for winter, providing additional frontline capacity as the NHS prepares for the heavy demands of the colder months.

The investment follows a summer of record NHS activity and extreme heat. With seasonal illnesses, including flu and norovirus, adding to the heavy workload over winter, the NHS has been preparing since July to meet patients’ needs and protect patient safety.

Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

Winter will be more challenging for our NHS this year, after such a heavy summer. That’s why we have been preparing early and investing in extra urgent care capacity to help get patients the care they need.

NHS staff worked incredibly hard to keep on top of the extra pressure this summer. Now we need to support them in delivering for patients through the winter season, so our NHS is there for all of us when we need it.

In total, the government is investing almost £2 billion in urgent care capital projects until 2030, improving facilities and ensuring people can get care closer to home, on top of a £1.5 billion investment confirmed so far for projects to address urgent maintenance problems across the NHS estate.

Dr Emma Rowland, NHS Executive Director for Performance and Delivery, said:

We know this winter will be tough for the NHS and we’re doing everything we can to reduce pressure on our emergency departments and make sure patients get the care they need, while protecting our staff.

Investment in same-day emergency care and urgent treatment centres will help more patients get the right care in the right place, at the right time.

Prevention is just as important, so if you’re eligible for a flu or other winter vaccination then please come forward and get protected.

Vaccination helps protect you, your family, some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and, for those working in health and social care, the patients we care for.

Alongside increasing urgent care capacity, the government has expanded the Pharmacy First scheme, so people can get support with a wider range of common conditions at their local pharmacy, and enhanced GP access through evening, weekend and out-of-hours appointments during the colder months.

Prevention remains one of the best ways to protect patients and services, which is why more community pharmacies are offering the flu jab this year, with eligibility expanded to include more vulnerable groups, including people experiencing homelessness. The NHS is also rolling out digital tools to simplify the booking process for parents, schools and vaccination teams. Over 7.4 million flu vaccinations had been delivered in England by 11 October. So far, more children have been vaccinated this year than last.

This winter, the single best thing eligible people can do is get their flu jab and other vaccines, to protect themselves against preventable illness and help relieve pressure on the NHS. Booking is open now.

Sir Ciarán Devane, Chief Executive of the NHS Alliance, said: 

This is a welcome investment to strengthen NHS urgent and emergency care and frontline capacity. 

NHS leaders and their teams continue to work hard to provide high-quality, timely care as services prepare for the winter months. 

With demand on NHS services remaining high, the priority needs to be easing pressure on hospitals, improving patient flow and supporting more people to receive care closer to home or return home sooner.” 

ENDS

Notes to editors

Confirmed locations of the new urgent care schemes:

Region	Hospital	Funding	Type of scheme	How it will benefit patients
East of England	Lister Hospital, Stevenage	£2 million	More escalation, general and acute beds	More patients can be admitted from A&E into appropriate hospital beds during busy periods, reducing delays in the emergency department and helping the hospital manage winter demand by improving patient flow.
East of England	Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge	£7.7 million over four years	Coordination Centre digital development	Better real-time coordination of beds, discharges and urgent admissions will help staff manage hospital capacity and move patients through the hospital more efficiently.
East of England	Basildon Hospital	£6 million over two years	Emergency Department improvements and refurbishment	Doubling the rapid assessment, triage and treatment area from three bays to eight, allowing more patients to be assessed simultaneously and improving patient flow to reduce delays.
East of England	James Paget University Hospital, Gorleston	£10 million	New Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC)	Patients with urgent but non-life-threatening conditions will have access to a dedicated treatment setting, reducing pressure on the main A&E department and allowing emergency teams to focus on the most seriously ill patients.
East of England	Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn	£3.9 million	Upgrade of existing Urgent Treatment Centre	Improvements will strengthen the hospital’s ability to assess and treat minor illnesses and injuries separately from the main emergency department, preserving A&E capacity for patients with more serious conditions.
East of England	Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital	£4.86 million	Emergency Department refurbishment	Permanent improvements to the emergency department will provide extra capacity for emergency assessment and treatment.
London	London Emergency Department digital transformation	£18.4 million over three years	Digital systems for Emergency Departments across London	Digital check-in and triage tools will help identify patients’ needs earlier and direct them towards appropriate services, improving patient flow and helping tackle delays.
London	Queen’s Hospital, Romford	£42.1 million	Comprehensive A&E transformation and reconfiguration	It will transform its overstretched A&E department, which was built to see around 325 patients a day but now regularly treats more than twice that number. The investment will create a modern emergency department with improved patient flow, dedicated waiting areas, better visibility for staff, a refurbished Children’s A&E and enhanced digital systems. This should help reduce waiting times, corridor care and pressure on staff, while improving patient safety, dignity and experience.
Midlands	Shrewsbury ambulance hub	£12 million	Replacement ambulance operational hub	A modern base with expanded vehicle preparation, maintenance and staff facilities will improve ambulance readiness and reliability, helping crews respond to patients more effectively.
Midlands	East Midlands Ambulance Service	£6.35 million	40 additional double-crewed ambulances	More ambulances and frontline staff will increase the service’s capacity to respond to 999 calls, particularly during periods of high demand, and help crews reach patients sooner.
Midlands	Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham	£12.9 million	New Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) facility	Dedicated emergency care facilities will support patients who can safely be assessed and treated within a day, potentially avoiding an overnight hospital stay.
North East and Yorkshire	University Hospital of North Tees	£1 million over two years	Emergency Department refurbishment	Refurbishment of the emergency department entrance, reception and waiting areas will aim to reduce overcrowding, improve patient flow and make it easier for people to be assessed and directed to the right care first time, including faster access to community-based services.
North East and Yorkshire	Airedale General Hospital	£6.76 million	New Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) facility	Dedicated emergency care facilities will support patients who can safely be assessed and treated within a day, potentially avoiding an overnight hospital stay.
North West	Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan	£4.7 million	Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) relocation and improvement	Improved SDEC facilities closer to A&E and diagnostic services will help suitable patients access assessment and treatment more efficiently and return home the same day where appropriate.

Schemes announced in April ready for this winter:

Region	Hospital	Type of scheme	Status
Midlands	Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham	New UTC	Open
Midlands	Northampton General Hospital	New UTC	Open
Midlands	Royal Stoke University Hospital	New UTC	Open
South West	Salisbury District Hospital	New UTC	Expected December 2026
South East	Royal Hampshire County Hospital	New UTC	Expected December 2026
South East	Southampton General Hospital	New UTC	Expected November 2026
London	North Middlesex Hospital	New UTC	Expected December 2026
North West	Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport	UTC expansion	Open
South East	Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate	UTC expansion	Open
South West	Dorset County Hospital	UTC expansion	Open
North East and Yorkshire	Barnsley District General Hospital	New SDEC	Open
South East	Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate	New SDEC	Open
South East	Southampton General Hospital	New SDEC	Expected November 2026
North East and Yorkshire	Bassetlaw Hospital	SDEC expansion	Open
North East and Yorkshire	Harrogate District Hospital	SDEC expansion	Open
North East and Yorkshire	Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust	SDEC expansion	Expected January 2027
North West	Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust	SDEC expansion	Open
South East	Abingdon Community Hospital	SDEC expansion	Open
South East	Wexham Park Hospital	SDEC expansion	Open
South East	Royal Berkshire Hospital	SDEC expansion	Open
South East	William Harvey Hospital, Ashford	SDEC expansion	Expected October 2026
South East	Frimley Park Hospital	SDEC expansion	Open
South West	Derriford Hospital	SDEC expansion	Open
South West	Torbay District General Hospital	SDEC expansion	Open
South West	Royal Devon	SDEC expansion	Expected January 2027

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 9 October 2026.

Independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD and autism published.

• Government sets out move towards earlier, needs-led support for children, young people and adults, without long waits for clinical diagnosis 
• Early support will keep young people in school, enable them to join the workforce and continue playing a full part in their local communities
• Response to Fonagy review will also see strengthening of regulation around attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism assessments, and review of advertising practices

Children, young people and adults experiencing mental distress will receive broader support and advice at the earliest opportunity, without having to wait for a clinical diagnosis, the government has pledged today (9 October 2026). 

Responding to the findings of the Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report, the government has committed to a major overhaul of mental health support in the forthcoming mental health strategy. This will set out a renewed focus on prevention and early intervention, to make sure that people receive the right help, at the right time, in the right place, based on their needs.  

The review published today, chaired by leading clinical psychologist Professor Peter Fonagy with the support of vice-chairs Professor Sir Simon Wessely and Professor Gillian Baird, found that mental distress has increased substantially among children and young people. The findings show this has been driven by several factors, including:

• social media
• financial insecurity
• increased uncertainty about the future
• poorer sleep
• reduced feelings of connection and belonging

While referrals and diagnoses for ADHD and autism have risen significantly, the review found that population-level prevalence of these conditions appears broadly stable.

The interim report of Alan Milburn’s review of young people and work also found that – among the 16 to 25 year old age group not currently in education, employment or training – 24% cited depression or anxiety as their main limiting condition, 22% autism and 18% another mental illness.   

The government has responded by seeking to improve support at every stage of life. For children, young people and adults experiencing mental distress, greater support will be available in schools, colleges and communities with a focus on earlier intervention, reducing long waits and ensuring support is available before and without a diagnosis.

Where clinically appropriate, the system will continue to offer timely diagnosis and treatment, such as when someone may require medication. 

As part of this work, the Health and Social Care Secretary has asked NHS leaders to urgently examine how people can access advice, assessments and treatment more easily. 

These reforms will work alongside the government’s new £4 billion package of support for children with special educational needs, backing schools to improve inclusion, widening access to specialist support and rolling out training for every teacher.  

The government will also strengthen the oversight and regulation of ADHD and autism assessments, including working towards making all diagnostic assessments a Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulated activity, so that people can be confident any diagnosis they receive, whether through the NHS or a private provider, is accurate and based on robust clinical practice.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Yvette Cooper, said: 

Professor Fonagy’s review has shown the importance of early intervention to address mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions and the huge distress these can cause. It is clear that mental health services need to change to focus more on the early support young people need to stay in education or work or keep their lives on track. We will set out our response in a new mental health strategy in the coming months, building on the new mental health services we are already providing in schools and in the community.

Based on the review findings, we will also take action to strengthen the oversight of mental health and neurodevelopmental services, and make all diagnostic assessments for ADHD and autism CQC-regulated, so people can be confident that assessments are high quality and that the NHS is not being overcharged by independent or private providers.  

Professor Peter Fonagy, Head of the UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, said: 

Our findings show a system under immense strain, where diagnosis has increasingly become a very narrow pathway to finding support for distress caused by complex and wide-ranging factors. This review’s recommendations offer a roadmap to shift from a diagnostic labelling model to a flexible, needs-led system.

Diagnosis remains essential and must be protected – what has to change is that it is no longer the only door through which help can be reached. If we judge success by a person’s overall wellbeing and ability to take part in work, education and staying connected to their community rather than by a narrow mechanism like diagnosis, we can shift to a system that intervenes early in communities and safeguards specialist capacity for those with severe needs.

Dr Nick Broughton, National Priority Programme Director for Mental Health, Learning Disability and Neurodevelopmental Conditions at NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care, said:

This is a landmark moment for how we better understand the mental health needs across society, in particular the struggles many young people are now facing.

As Professor Fonagy’s review has found – there has been a genuine increase in the number of young people seeking help in recent years, and it’s our job alongside other sectors to ensure we are providing the best support to them when they need it.

We have taken important steps in addressing these challenges, with 6 million pupils now able to access NHS mental health support in schools, and we’re making it easier for people to get support for ADHD and autism conditions before and after diagnosis.

But collectively there’s much more to do to give young people the best chance at succeeding in a complex and ever-evolving society, while keeping pace with new technology and the pressures that can bring – the NHS is ready to play its part.

Improving confidence in ADHD and autism services 

The review recommends overhauling the commissioning, funding, oversight and regulation of mental health and neurodevelopmental services, including making all diagnostic assessments for ADHD and autism a CQC-regulated activity and banning direct-to-public advertising of NHS-funded ADHD and autism assessments.

The government is exploring ways to strengthen oversight and regulation to ensure people can have confidence that assessments are clinically robust and that services deliver high-quality care, including: 

• improved oversight of assessment services: working with NHS England and CQC to regulate diagnostic assessments for ADHD and autism. This will cover NHS-funded, non-NHS-funded and self-funding patients, and will sit alongside the requirement for all integrated care boards to improve oversight of the ADHD and autism assessment services they commission. This will protect patients from substandard providers, giving people confidence that wherever they are assessed, the diagnosis they receive is accurate and based on robust clinical practice
• a review of advertising practices: the Secretary of State will write to the Advertising Standards Authority on issues related to adverts for autism and ADHD services to ensure people receive accurate information and are not exploited by companies encouraging them to seek assessments they may not need
• a new national tariff: NHS England will consult on proposals for a national set of prices for NHS-funded autism and ADHD services to improve consistency, support high-quality care and ensure public money is used effectively. The tariff would support a fairer, more consistent and more transparent system for providing autism and ADHD services, covering assessment, post-diagnostic support and follow-ups. NHS England intends to introduce finalised new payment arrangements from April 2027. This would help reduce unwarranted variation in NHS-funded ADHD and autism services, giving patients greater confidence that they can access consistent, high-quality support
• a review of clinical guidance: working with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to urgently consider the implications of the report for its guidance relating to autism and ADHD. We will work with the NHS to implement NICE recommendations to ensure every child, young person and adult has high-quality, evidence-based care to support their needs, provided in a timely way. This will give patients and families confidence that, wherever they live, they are receiving care based on the most up-to-date clinical evidence, rather than inconsistent or outdated approaches

Earlier help and action on waiting lists for children and young people 

The government is already taking action to ensure people can access support earlier, reduce long waits for help and strengthen support for children, young people and families. This includes: 

• supporting children’s very early years: giving every family access to trusted, practical help throughout the critical 1,001 days from pregnancy to age 2. Building on the Healthy Babies programme already established in 75 local authorities, this expansion will end the postcode lottery and ensure families across England can access enhanced support with infant feeding, parental mental health and forming strong attachments with their baby
• earlier support for children and young people: rolling out mental health support teams to every school and college by 2029, reaching nearly 800,000 additional children and young people this year, alongside a £7 million investment in early support hubs in 2026 to 2027
• earlier and more timely identification and support in education: transforming the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system so children and young people get the support they need, backing schools to embed inclusion, rolling out comprehensive training for all teachers, and investing £1.8 billion over 3 years in the new Experts at Hand offer, to bring speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, specialist teachers, educational psychologists and other professionals into mainstream schools, early years settings and colleges, widening access to specialist support
• reducing waits and expanding access to support: with mental health spending forecast to reach a record £16.1 billion this year, the government is expanding NHS talking therapies so 915,000 people can complete a course of treatment by March 2029, and rolling out 159 new mental health centres and mental health emergency departments in communities across the country, so people struggling with their mental health can access timely help and support before they reach a point of crisis. The government will set out further action through its cross-government mental health strategy later this year, bringing together immediate reforms and long-term action to improve mental health outcomes and ensure support is available earlier and more consistently across England

Stakeholder response

Dr Sarah Hughes, CEO of Mind, said: 

The Fonagy review echoes what we’ve seen across our services for years. Increased need for support is not due to a ‘snowflake generation’ or a case of overdiagnosis. Young people are growing up in a challenging world and it’s no surprise that more are struggling with their mental health.

This report is a watershed moment for change. We welcome the commitment to earlier, more open access support and look forward to working with the government on the forthcoming mental health strategy, to ensure our mental health system works for everyone.

Brian Dow, Deputy Chief Executive of Rethink Mental Illness and Chair of the Head On campaign, a coalition of over 20 leading UK mental health charities, said: 

The findings from Peter Fonagy’s independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism are clear: mental distress is rising, particularly among young people. These are our family members, neighbours and friends who are struggling and in need of support.

But the review is also clear that a better future is possible, so we eagerly await the publication of the government’s new mental health strategy. By focusing on a plan that unites health, education and employment, the government has the opportunity to invest in a mental health system fit for modern Britain, one that prevents ill health from arising as well as responding more quickly when it does.

This review must be a line in the sand. It’s time to stop debating the problem and start focusing on solutions to tackle this mental health crisis head on.

Centre for Mental Health Chief Executive, Andy Bell, said:

There is no longer any doubt about the rising prevalence of mental ill health in England, or its impact on people’s lives. So it’s time to take effective action to turn it around.

The report contains a clear message to the government and to us all. More people, and young people especially, are experiencing mental distress and ill health.

Major change is needed, starting today. The government has a golden opportunity with its promise of a new mental health strategy to put the report’s recommendations into practice. The report is also a call to action for local government, the NHS, business and civil society to do their part to turn around the nation’s mental health.

Alexa Knight, Director of Policy and Influencing at the Mental Health Foundation, said:

The prevalence review findings could not be clearer – there has been a real, observable and substantial increase in mental distress across the UK. This crisis was never down to overdiagnosis. We now must move past unhelpful arguments about whether levels of poor mental health are real, and instead focus on reducing the distress people are experiencing.

We warmly welcome this report and its recommendations, and look forward to working with the UK government to make sure they are delivered in full and prevention is prioritised. This must be the end of the UK’s mental health crisis, and the beginning of a country where poor mental health isn’t accepted as inevitable.

Chief Executive of the NHS Alliance, Sir Ciarán Devane, said:

The review strikes a welcome balance between strengthening prevention and early intervention while maintaining a clear focus on ensuring prompt access to high-quality specialist NHS mental health support.

Mark Winstanley, Chief Executive of Rethink Mental Illness, said:

The independent review led by Professor Fonagy is an important step towards ensuring people can get the right support at the right time. It is deeply concerning that too many people experiencing severe mental illness still face barriers to care, and the review is right to highlight that specialist services supporting people with the most complex and acute needs must not lose out as mental health support is strengthened and expanded.

The review recognises that rising mental distress, long waits and fragmented services can leave people without the help they need. Its focus on earlier, joined-up support based on need rather than diagnosis alone provides an opportunity to shift from discussion to action.

We hope its recommendations help shape a mental health strategy that delivers timely support for everyone who needs it, and a workforce that is fit to deliver it inside and outside the NHS.

Jeremy Bernhaut, Director of Policy and Practice, Mental Health UK, said:

This independent review makes clear that rising mental distress is one of the defining challenges facing our society. It is a welcome step towards a system where people can access support earlier, without having to wait for their mental health to deteriorate or for a diagnosis before getting help.

The review rightly highlights the need for more joined-up support across health, education, employment and communities.

The findings on children and young people are particularly stark, underlining the importance of intervention at the earliest opportunity.

We welcome the review’s recognition that support should be based on people’s needs, not diagnosis alone, while ensuring timely assessment remains available where clinically appropriate. As the government develops its mental health strategy, this is an important opportunity to turn the review’s recommendations into lasting change.

Victoria Hornby OBE, CEO of Mental Health Innovations, said:

Professor Fonagy’s review confirms that the rise in mental ill health among young people is real, and we welcome the move towards a system where diagnosis is not the only gateway to support. The conversation must now focus on delivering solutions that young people can access early and at scale.  

Help should be available through schools, communities, specialist care and a national digital service. In the last year, we have supported over 300,000 young people through our digital services, Shout and The Mix. We know the need for digital provision is there, and alongside our partners in the sector, we have the experience and insight to deliver it.

Lynn Perry, Barnardo’s Chief Executive, said:  

The mental health of children and young people in this country is at crisis point. Through our services at Barnardo’s, we see children and young people in distress while facing long waits for assessments, diagnoses and support. This unacceptable situation is holding children back – it’s weighing them down in the classroom and playground – and it’s having a profound, often life-long effect on their health, education, relationships and future opportunities.  

We welcome today’s findings from the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism.  

Through working closely with children, young people and their families, we also know that the challenges they face are often interconnected. Poverty, insecure housing, special educational needs and disabilities, and other pressures on families often overlap – yet children and families are confronted with a divided and complicated system. That’s why we welcome the review’s call for better prevention, early intervention and bringing joined-up support into the community.  

The government has committed to raising the healthiest generation of children, and we are calling for an action plan to make this a reality. The plan would incorporate this review’s findings and recommendations, and set clear, concrete metrics to hold different parts of the system to account. If we are serious about raising the healthiest generation ever, children’s health must be everyone’s priority.

Professor Subodh Dave, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said:

Millions of people have had their lives turned upside down by poor mental health, including illnesses and neurodevelopmental conditions that are often severe, disabling and overlapping. The report makes it clear that we must reduce unacceptably long waiting lists for high-quality assessments and improve access to specialist treatments that are too frequently unavailable if we are to address this.  

More children and young people are suffering significant distress because of a constantly changing world they have almost no control over. Those showing initial signs of distress shouldn’t need a diagnosis to access basic levels of support at school, work or within their communities.

We hope Professor Fonagy’s review will drive renewed focus on mental health at every level of society in England, particularly for people with severe and enduring mental illnesses. We need mental health services that are responsive, connected and consistent if we are to support people to be healthy and active, which must be backed by an expansion of the workforce and investment. Those with the most complex needs must have timely access to psychiatric expertise.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 28 September 2026.

Independent review into Leeds maternity and neonatal care sets out terms of reference for investigation.

• Review to examine the care women, babies and families received at Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust
• It follows repeated maternity failures at one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe
• The publication comes after Donna Ockenden was appointed to chair the independent review

Women and babies who were harmed while in the care of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) will have their experiences placed at the heart of an independent review.

Following extensive feedback from families, the Terms of Reference for the independent review into Maternity and Neonatal Services at LTHT have been published. 

The document, reviewed by some of England’s top maternity and neonatal clinicians, sets out how individual cases will be examined. Clinical case reviews are due to begin in November.

The review is expected to conclude by 2029, and will cover the delivery of maternity and neonatal care from 1 January 2011 through until 31 March 2028, where mothers and babies have suffered severe harm or death while under the care of LTHT. This includes the review of stillbirths, maternal deaths, including by suicide, and some babies admitted to the neonatal unit.

The review will identify concerns in maternity and neonatal care at the trust and make recommendations to improve safety, quality and equity. Families affected have shaped the Terms of Reference through detailed feedback, ensuring their views and experiences are reflected throughout the review. They will continue to be closely involved as the review progresses.

Minister for Women’s Health and Maternity, Baroness Merron said:

My thoughts are with every family whose baby died or who experienced devastating harm while receiving care in Leeds. Their determination has brought us to this important point, and we owe it to them to listen and to establish the truth.

This independent review has been shaped by families themselves. Under Donna Ockenden, it will examine what happened, identify where care failed and make clear recommendations to help prevent other families suffering in the same way.

Every woman and baby deserves safe, compassionate maternity care. We are determined to improve standards in Leeds and across the country.

Michelle Welsh MP, the Government’s Maternity and Neonatal Adviser, said:

Families have fought for answers for far too long, and today marks an important step towards understanding what happened to women, babies and families receiving care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals.

Families must remain at the heart of this review. Their experiences, alongside the expertise of clinicians and frontline staff, must help us understand where care went wrong, what can be learned and, crucially, what needs to change.

We owe it to every family affected to make sure their voices are heard, their experiences are properly examined and that the lessons from this review lead to safer maternity and neonatal care for women and babies.

Donna Ockenden, review Chair, said:

Today is a pivotal day for families, staff and the community in relation to the progress of the Review. The Terms of Reference have been reviewed and written together in partnership with families to ensure that all voices that wish to participate are heard and represented.

In due course, the Review will begin to receive information from the Trust, families, and staff so that we are able to begin case reviews. Families and staff can expect to receive contact from the Review Team in the coming months.

On behalf of the Review Team and I, I would like to thank the families for their time and ongoing engagement to ensure that the Terms of Reference were inclusive and reflective of the populations’ needs. Your perspective and valuable feedback has helped shape the framework for the Review, and your voices will continue to be acknowledged, listened to and acted upon as the Review progresses.

The government is already taking strong action on maternity services, including investing £187 million since April last year to make maternity and neonatal services safer, extending Martha’s Rule to every ward so that patients and their families can have confidence that reports of deterioration will be acted on and hiring almost 2,000 more midwives. The government is committed to appointing England’s first statutory Maternity and Neonatal Commissioner to ensure the voices of women, babies and families are at the heart of national policy making.

The Health and Social Care Secretary is chairing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce and will develop an action plan by the end of the year.  

Families said:

The Independent Maternity Review of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust (LTHT) has marked a pivotal moment in its mission to deliver transparency, truth, and lasting change for families across the region.

It is a significant milestone for the Independent Maternity Review of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust to publish its Terms of Reference.

A large number of Leeds families from very diverse backgrounds have contributed a wealth of time to help shape these Terms of Reference. Hopefully, this will allow as many people as possible, across a wide range of circumstances, to be included.

The agreed time period covered by the review is a major strength. This will allow the full tenures of previous CEOs of LTHT to be covered and scrutinised.

It is important to note that even if families do not meet the strict criteria, they will still be able to contribute under the “family experiences” chapter of the investigation. We encourage them to still reach out to the review; their experiences remain entirely valid.

We are pleased that Donna and the DHSC recognise the importance of so many voices being heard. This includes representing the voices of mothers who are no longer with us, having sadly died by suicide during pregnancy or up to one year post-birth, which remains the leading direct cause of maternal death in the late postnatal period.

Our hope is that a platform has been created that will allow as many people to be seen and heard as possible, ensuring the snowball of truth continues to grow alongside the necessary accountability that must follow.

We urge any family who has been affected by maternity care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust within the review period to come forward. Your voice matters, your experience is vital, and you will be listened to with the utmost compassion and confidentiality. You and your family mattered then, they matter now and they always will.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 16 September 2026.

New neighbourhood health investment partnership to bring care closer to home and tackle health inequalities.

• 6 projects will redesign health and care services benefitting thousands, as part of an innovative neighbourhood health investment partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support
• Models will bring together NHS services, councils and community organisations to tackle health inequalities
• Delivers on government’s mission to move power out of Whitehall, placing more power in communities
• Backed by £1.5 million from the Office for the Impact Economy, working with Macmillan and Social Finance, the programme will help develop and test approaches that could be expanded more widely across local areas and services

Communities across England are set to benefit from redesigned health and care services, backed by £1.5 million funding from the Office for the Impact Economy. The projects will help more people receive joined-up support earlier, avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and remain independent for longer.

The 6 sites will develop and test new neighbourhood health models that bring together NHS services, councils, community organisations and local people to improve outcomes and tackle inequalities.

They will pave the way for the future so more areas can benefit from the innovative partnership model. The funding will help sites develop and test new neighbourhood health models, creating the foundations for larger-scale investment and wider adoption across the NHS in future.

The government has partnered with Social Finance, Macmillan Cancer Support and West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. This will bring together expertise in cancer care, system transformation, innovative finance and neighbourhood health. Integrated care boards and local government partners across England were invited to apply.

The 6 selected sites and their proposals are:

• Bristol NHS Foundation Trust: a ‘1,000 days neighbourhood model’ that uses population health data and community networks to improve end-of-life care and support more people with frailty and multiple conditions outside hospital settings
• Lewisham Health and Care Partnership and Healthier Greenwich Partnership: an integrated neighbourhood model covering long-term conditions, frailty, cancer and end-of-life care, building on existing integrated neighbourhood teams while making cancer a more explicit focus
• Navigo Health and Social Care CIC on behalf of North East Lincolnshire Health and Care Partnership: a proactive neighbourhood care and co-ordination service that brings together primary care, community services, mental health and social care to support people with complex needs before they reach crisis point
• RM Partners and North Central London (NCL) NHS Cancer Alliance: a large-scale neighbourhood cancer prehabilitation and rehabilitation support offer, across 19 London boroughs, which improves autonomy, care co-ordination, equity of access and local care provision supported by digital navigation
• North Nottinghamshire Partnership led by Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: a scaled neighbourhood model that takes a proactive approach to caring for people with severe frailty, cancer and multiple long-term conditions, with a particular focus on the wider building blocks of health
• York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: an expansion of a neighbourhood-based frailty model, using proactive identification, geriatric assessment and multidisciplinary teams to help older people remain at home, with a focus on spreading successful approaches from York into rural and coastal areas like Scarborough and Bridlington

The programme builds on pioneering work developed by West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Macmillan Cancer Support and Social Finance, where a proactive care service is already helping provide earlier support and keep people independent.

Dame Diana Johnson, Minister of State for Health, said:

Neighbourhood health is about bringing services together within our local communities, helping people get the right care, at the right time, closer to home. 

These 6 trailblazer pilots will help lead the way in showing how locally led services can work together in the areas of greatest need, and support people to live healthier, more independent lives.

The programme is a key part of our 10 Year Health Plan, helping us shift from treating sickness to preventing it in the first place, and giving people the help they need in the heart of their own communities.

Minister of State Stephanie Peacock said: 

These 6 trailblazers show how government, local services, communities and impact investors – working together – can rewire the state to build a healthier nation and stronger local economies.

The changes will not only improve health and care but also boost efficiency and productivity while mobilising social investment alongside public funding, working hand-in-hand with impact investors.

The programme will show that partnership working and investment can help local systems to redesign care around their communities – improving outcomes, supporting prevention and helping more people receive joined-up care closer to home. It will demonstrate how social investment can complement public funding to support and sustain that change.

This forms part of the government’s mission to devolve more power into local communities, harness the impact economy and rewire the state, while shifting focus from sickness to prevention, and move care out of hospital and into the community as part of the 10 Year Health Plan.

Macmillan has committed to invest £250 million in neighbourhood health across the UK over the next 3 to 5 years and intends to act as a cornerstone investor in the trailblazer sites, helping to attract other partners and investors and increase the funding available to transform care closer to home.

Social Finance will provide specialist expertise in innovative finance and investment models, helping sites develop approaches capable of mobilising impact investment.

Gemma Peters, Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said:

These 6 trailblazer sites are doing something special, and I cannot wait to see them become the start of something much bigger.

Neighbourhood health is about redesigning care around people’s lives: bringing health services, local organisations and communities together to create support that is more connected, more personal and closer to home. These sites will lead the way in showing what is possible.

Macmillan is proud to be a cornerstone investor, helping to unlock investment from others and to bring our expertise in reshaping healthcare. But this is the start of a journey. We want to see more investors backing neighbourhood health, with government investors and local partners working together to create the conditions for new approaches to grow and spread, so more people can benefit from connected, personalised care closer to home.

Caroline Gadd, Chief Executive of Social Finance, said:

Delivering neighbourhood health is crucial to improving health and care for communities, as well as helping the NHS become financially sustainable.

At Social Finance, we work in partnership to deploy impact capital to drive change across the whole system, and I am delighted to see this government commitment to enabling social investment to back outcomes in health.

What is most exciting is not just the first wave of 6 sites, but what comes next and the potential to transform how we invest in health in the future.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 5 August 2026.

£343 million plan will open 159 NHS mental health centres in England, giving people earlier local support and specialist crisis care outside A&E.

• Up to 159 new NHS mental health centres will open across England from this autumn, bringing crucial support directly into neighbourhoods
• New centres in communities are designed to catch problems early, so fewer people reach crisis point in the first place
• People in crisis will get dedicated mental health emergency care rather than a long wait in a busy A&E

People struggling with their mental health will get help earlier and closer to home, with 159 new NHS mental health facilities opening across England under plans announced today (6 August 2026).

Backed by £343 million, the rollout is the biggest redesign of mental health services in a generation. It includes:

• 100 new community mental health centres, offering walk-in support without a referral and without a months-long wait
• 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments giving people in crisis specialist care in a place designed for them

Demand for mental health services has risen sharply, particularly among children and young people, with around 1 in 5 people experiencing a common mental health condition each year. Too often, people only receive support once they reach crisis point, leaving families without the help they need and placing greater pressure on NHS services.

The new centres will make it far easier for people to get the right help the first time they ask for it, by bringing mental health and specialist teams together under one roof – working alongside GPs, councils, the voluntary sector and families, with direct links into housing and employment support.

The first sites open from autumn this year, with further facilities following from March 2027.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

Nobody should be left to struggle with their mental health alone. But every day, thousands of people are waiting months for help, then finding the only door open to them is a busy A&E.

These new centres will be a lifeline for so many. They will bring NHS services closer to home, making it easier to get support before problems get worse, and ensuring those in crisis get the right care in the right place.

On the steps of Downing Street, I said we would build a country that acts sooner when people need help. Today is just the start of making that a reality.

The announcement comes as the Health and Social Care Secretary visits a community mental health centre in Sheffield, one of 6 already operating in England.

Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

Too many people are only getting mental health support when they reach crisis point, after struggling for far too long to get the help they need.

These new community mental health centres will help people get support earlier and closer to home, making it easier to get the right care before problems escalate. And when someone does need urgent help, new mental health emergency departments will be able to make sure they are seen quickly by specialist teams in the right setting.

This is how we can turn the tide on mental ill health – preventing more people from reaching crisis, cutting waits for care and building an NHS which is there for everyone when they need it.

Some of the community hubs will be newly built facilities, while others will be in libraries, banks and other community or high-street locations to move care closer to where people live, improving access.

They will all be in the heart of the neighbourhoods they serve and designed as welcoming settings with a non-clinical appearance.

Alongside this, 59 new mental health emergency departments will provide fast, same-day specialist support for people experiencing a crisis who are medically fit and do not need treatment in A&E.

Located with emergency departments and working closely with ambulance and police services, they will provide a calm, therapeutic environment where people can be assessed quickly and connected to the right ongoing care, whether that’s inpatient treatment, support at home or community services. The rollout will more than double the number of dedicated emergency departments in England, taking the total to 82.

This is the first phase of a wider rollout set out in the 10 Year Health Plan, backed by £343 million in mental health facilities.

Dr Nick Broughton, National Priority Programme Director for Mental Health, Learning Disability and Neurodevelopmental Conditions, said:

Across the country, NHS teams are already working to provide mental health support closer to where people live, alongside specialist care for those who need more urgent help.

The rollout of more community mental health centres and dedicated mental health emergency departments will build on this work, strengthening both early support in the community and care for people in crisis, while helping services work together more effectively around people’s needs.

Brian Dow, Deputy Chief Executive at Rethink Mental Illness, said:

Everyone should be able to access mental health support in their local community, when and where they need it.

The expansion of neighbourhood mental health centres is a vital step towards making this a reality, building on the promising results of existing pilot sites.

By bringing together treatment and wider support services under one roof, these centres can transform experiences of care, helping people to access support earlier and preventing them from reaching crisis point.

Today’s announcement supports the government’s mission to shift care from crisis to prevention, helping people get support earlier and closer to home. It forms part of the forthcoming mental health strategy, which will look beyond the NHS to the role of schools, employers, local government and the voluntary sector in supporting good mental health.

The mental health strategy will be informed by the upcoming recommendations from Professor Peter Fonagy’s independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD and autism.

By intervening earlier, the government aims to help more children stay in education, more adults remain in or return to work, and reduce the number of people reaching crisis point, helping build a healthier and more resilient Britain.

Mark Rowland, Chief Executive at the Mental Health Foundation, said:

Many of the drivers of poor mental health are issues like problem debt, unemployment, and living in insecure, poor-quality housing. Addressing these concerns helps prevent poor mental health and makes recovery more successful.

By bringing together services in community hubs, the NHS and other services can take an earlier and holistic approach to mental health. Easy access to joined-up, same-day support will make it simpler for people to navigate between different services. It will allow people to get help sooner, stopping poor mental health and other challenges they face from getting worse.

Tom Pollard Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns at Mind, said:

This is a promising step towards more people getting the mental health support they need, when they need it. Too often, we hear from people struggling to access overstretched services whose mental health worsens because of this.

These plans signal a much-needed shift towards a neighbourhood approach, with preventative, open-access mental health support rooted in communities and integrated with other local services. If fully realised, this could transform the quality and accessibility of mental health support. We hope to see the government build on these principles in the upcoming mental health strategy.

Lynn Perry, Chief Executive at Barnardo’s, said:

The mental health of far too many children and young people is at crisis point. We urgently need to shift focus from response to prevention - helping children and young people get the support they need before reaching crisis point. 

That’s why we welcome the rollout of new mental health centres that are embedded into the neighbourhoods that need them, and hope that the needs of children and young people are placed right at the heart. 

This is an important step towards giving every child and young person the opportunity to grow up healthier, happier and able to thrive, with support that improves outcomes for life.

Rosie Phillips, Deputy CEO at Bipolar UK, said:

The lack of a clear pathway to support for people with bipolar has cost jobs, relationships and, in some cases, lives. Expanding community mental health services is a welcome step towards helping people before they reach crisis point. But, for those who do, it’s reassuring to see more therapeutic alternatives to A&E being prioritised.

For bipolar, preventative care means faster diagnosis, regular medication reviews, and better access to talking therapies and peer support. If these new services can deliver that, they could be a game changer for people with bipolar and those who love them.

Professor Subodh Dave, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said:

We welcome this recommitment to investing in mental health services, which has the potential to help more people access support earlier and closer to home. To maximise its impact, it will be important to build on past learnings and ensure these new services deliver genuinely joined-up care for patients, without compromising quality.

New neighbourhood services and same-day emergency care pathways should simplify access to support by reducing repeated assessments and fragmented care. Mental health is a key component of neighbourhood healthcare, and this model must be developed to meet the needs of people with severe mental illness, as this will help to ensure they receive the right care at the right time.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 31 July 2026.

Urgent work to take place to protect bereaved families.

• Proposals for formal regulation of the funeral sector to be developed following harrowing case in Hull
• DHSC to lead cross-government work to ensure that every person in every setting is treated with the respect they deserve in death.
• Work will formally commence following the sentencing of criminal funeral director Robert Bush today

The government has announced urgent plans to crack down on rogue operators in the funeral sector and ensure better protection for bereaved families after the sentencing of Robert Bush today.

Bush, of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for a total of 67 charges, including the prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud, fraudulent trading, and theft.

The Department for Health and Social Care will now drive forward work alongside other government departments, including the Ministry of Justice and the Law Commission to crack down on rogue operators in the funeral sector, and to protect bereaved families against the heartbreak of having their loved ones mistreated in death.

This will include developing a range of detailed proposals to drive up standards, including regulation of the funeral sector. These will be drawn up in discussion with established operators, faith groups, families, and other stakeholders.

As part of this work, the Law Commission will undertake a review of the criminal law in relation to the deceased, consider any gaps in existing legal protections and make recommendations on the creation of new offences, if they are needed.

For bereaved families, there can be few things more painful than knowing a loved one was not treated properly after they died. The deceased cannot speak for themselves, which is why clear safeguards, stronger oversight and consistent standards are needed to protect their dignity and give families the reassurance they deserve.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Yvette Cooper said:

Robert Bush’s actions were utterly abhorrent, and my thoughts are with all the bereaved families in Hull who have been so badly let down.

In the wake of this horrific case, we will now bring forward comprehensive proposals to ensure respect and dignity for the deceased in every setting, including proper regulation of the funeral sector. We are determined to drive rogue operators out of this industry, and protect other families from suffering this same heartache.

Every person in every situation deserves dignity in death, and every bereaved family deserves certainty that their loved ones are being treated with care and respect.

The Government will work closely with bereaved families, funeral providers, faith groups and others to ensure that future policy is proportionate, effective and informed by those with relevant experience. 

This will ensure action is designed to give families confidence that funeral providers are meeting clear, consistent standards, no matter where they live or which provider they choose.

It will also reinforce the profound responsibility placed on anyone entrusted with caring for someone after death.

This case is another horrendous example of where the deceased have not been honoured with the care and respect many of us would have expected. The findings from Sir Jonathan Michael’s independent inquiry into the actions that allowed David Fuller to commit his horrific crimes showed that we need to consider how we can ensure better standards across all settings that look after our loved ones after they die, including where some level of regulation is already in place.

Many funeral providers offer compassionate and professional care every day. Stronger oversight, including regulation and other measures, would protect families from poor practice, support good providers, and restore confidence in a sector people rely on when they are at their most vulnerable.

Andrew Judd, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Funeral Directors, said: 

We welcome the government’s commitment to raising standards and oversight across the whole funeral sector and look forward to working with government to ensure that every single deceased person and their bereaved families are treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve.

We will work with Government and industry during the engagement to secure meaningful change for all bereaved families as soon as possible. We believe that statutory regulation can best achieve this aim and will continue to make that case during this process.

Paul Allcock, Government Liaison at the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF), said: 

SAIF welcomes the DHSC’s commitment to engaging with the funeral profession on regulation. 

Any framework must protect the deceased and their families as a priority, but must also uphold standards and recognise small and medium-sized independent funeral businesses. It should be proportionate, preserve family choice and maintain a diverse market. 

We’re committed to supporting the engagement and cross-government work. 

SAIF members currently follow the UK Funeral Director Code and undergo inspections of premises, mortuary facilities and administrative processes. Families also have access to an independent complaints and redress process, delivered by an externally audited alternative dispute resolution body certified by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, providing an added safeguard. 

We’ll continue working closely with the DHSC and MOJ to shape regulation that protects the deceased, their families and supports a sustainable funeral profession.

Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said:  

We look forward to working with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Justice to ensure the improvement of standards in the funeral sector enable all families and communities to bury their loved ones with dignity and care.

The Jewish community is proud of its high standards of care for the deceased and internal regulatory processes, which ensure that Jewish people are buried safely, respectfully, and in accordance with religious requirements.

Mohamed Omer MBE, Chair, National Burial Council, said: 

We have followed the Robert Bush (Legacy Independent Funeral Directors) case with deep distress. The findings are profoundly troubling and have caused immense pain to families who entrusted their loved ones to this service. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to all bereaved families affected by this appalling breach of trust, care and decency. 

The National Burial Council welcomes the Government’s commitment to urgent action to strengthen oversight, accountability and professional standards across the funeral sector. Muslim and Jewish communities have specific religious requirements for timely burial and respectful handling of the deceased, making dignity and transparency essential. NBC works closely with burial societies and funeral directors to uphold high standards and will support DHSC and the Ministry of Justice in strengthening safeguards and effective self‑regulation.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 30 July 2026.

NHS trusts and construction partners have signed agreements to deliver the next phase of the New Hospital Programme.

• NHS trusts and construction partners sign agreements to deliver next generation of hospitals
• Long-term partnerships mark a major milestone for New Hospital Programme
• Patients, taxpayers and industry to benefit from collaborative, more efficient approach

Eleven significant long-term partnerships have today been signed to deliver new hospitals across England from Manchester to Cornwall and the east of England. The confirmed partnerships will transform how NHS hospitals are delivered across England, marking a major milestone for the New Hospital Programme as it moves into its delivery phase.

The agreements bring together NHS trusts and leading construction organisations to deliver 11 hospital schemes through a new collaborative approach that is designed to build modern hospitals more efficiently, while ensuring every scheme continues to meet the needs of its local patients, staff and communities.

The partnerships will support the delivery of Hospital 2.0 – the New Hospital Programme’s modern, standardised approach to designing, building and operating hospitals. Combining national standards, digital innovation and modern methods of construction, Hospital 2.0 will improve quality and productivity while creating healthcare environments that are safer, more sustainable and fit for the future.

The agreements mark the start of delivery for the first wave of partnerships, enabling NHS trusts and their construction partners to move forward with delivering hospitals that will serve communities for generations to come. The contracts will also deliver a pipeline to support the growth of the construction industry and development of skills.

Karin Smyth, Minister of State for Health, said:

For too long, the construction of new hospitals has been bogged down by bureaucratic procurement processes, even after full approval and funding was in place, and we’re determined to change that.

The changes announced today are a major step forward in streamlining the procurement process. Patients can look forward to new hospitals being delivered quicker, industry can plan with certainty, and taxpayers can be assured that we are getting maximum value for their money.

With stronger collaboration, shared learning and a boost for jobs, this further demonstrates this government’s commitment to the New Hospital Programme, providing world-class facilities for the NHS and helping the economy in the process.

Natalie Forrest, Chief Programme Officer for the New Hospital Programme, said:

The Hospital 2.0 Alliance marks an important milestone for the New Hospital Programme and a new way of delivering major public infrastructure. By bringing together NHS organisations and industry as genuine partners, we’re creating a model that combines national consistency with local leadership. Together, we’ll deliver hospitals that are safer, more sustainable and designed to meet the needs of patients and staff for generations to come.

Under the new delivery model:

• NHS trusts remain responsible for delivering hospitals that reflect the needs of their local communities
• national standards will improve quality, consistency, and value for money across the programme
• long-term partnerships will encourage collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement throughout delivery

The Hospital 2.0 Alliance brings together the New Hospital Programme, NHS trusts and construction partners in long-term partnerships designed to transform how hospitals are delivered. Rather than treating each hospital as a stand-alone project, the approach enables organisations to share expertise, apply consistent standards and continuously improve delivery across multiple schemes.

Charlotte Taylor and Paul Mustow, Senior Responsible Owners for the New Hospital Programme at the Department of Health and Social Care, said:

The Hospital 2.0 Alliance demonstrates what can be achieved when government, the NHS and industry work together with a shared ambition. By combining national leadership with local expertise, we’re creating a more collaborative approach to delivering the next generation of NHS hospitals – one that supports innovation, delivers better value for taxpayers and leaves a lasting legacy for patients and staff.

The first wave of Hospital 2.0 partnerships includes:

• Airedale NHS Foundation Trust – GRAHAM
• Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust – Sacyr UK
• Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Laing O’Rourke
• James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Skanska
• Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust – Bovis Construction
• Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Leighton Hospital) – Integrated Health Projects (VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine joint venture)
• Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – Morgan Sindall Construction
• North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (Hinchingbrooke Hospital) – Kier Construction
• Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust – Skanska
• Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust – Willmott Dixon Construction
• West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust – DRAGADOS Sociedad Anónima

The contract signing marks a significant step in delivering the government’s commitment to modernise NHS infrastructure, helping create hospitals that:

• improve patient experience
• support staff wellbeing
• provide high-quality healthcare environments for future generations

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 10 July 2026.

Ministers have launched a crackdown on vapes marketed at kids with a shift to plain white packaging.

• Plans to keep vapes out of sight in shops and airports
• Plain packaging for all tobacco products, including cigars and cigarette papers

Plans to stop vapes being marketed to children have been unveiled today (10 July 2026) as part of a UK-wide consultation to introduce plain packaging and restrictions on flavour description rules, and keep vapes out of sight in shops.

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) reports that around one million 11 to 17 year olds in Great Britain reported trying vaping in 2025. Evidence suggests that colourful packaging, prominent retail displays and child-appealing flavours are among the factors driving young people to take it up.

The UK government and the devolved governments have launched a consultation that includes proposals to reduce the appeal of vapes to young children, including white packaging with restrictions on text colour, imagery and branding, as well as standardised product information.

There will also be restrictions on flavour names – to simple recognisable descriptions – and vape devices – to be white, black or grey.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, James Murray, said:

The evidence is clear: there are too many young people experimenting with vapes, attracted by the array of flavours, bright colours and marketing displays.

We want a healthier future for the next generation, so we must act now to reduce the appeal of addictive vapes to our children.

Vapes are less harmful than cigarettes and can play an important role in helping adult smokers to quit, but they should never be designed or marketed in ways that tempt children. These proposals are about striking the right balance and I urge everyone to have their say.

Standardised packaging has helped reduce the appeal of smoking since its introduction for cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco in 2017.

The consultation proposes to extend these requirements for all tobacco products, including cigars and cigarette papers.

Further proposals include introducing positive quit-themed inserts directing smokers to resources to quit and health warnings for all tobacco products, as well as removing displays for tobacco products in duty-free settings and airports.

The consultation follows the passage of the Tobacco and Vapes Act, which received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026 and sets out proposals to create the UK’s first smoke-free generation, protecting children from nicotine addiction while ensuring adult smokers can still access vaping products to help them quit.

There is also growing awareness and use among young people of other nicotine products, including nicotine pouches, which are covered by several of the proposed measures.

Scotland Public Health Minister, Maree Todd, said:

Scotland has been a world leader on a range of tobacco control measures, and while there has been a steady reduction in smoking rates, we know it still damages lives and kills more than 7,000 people a year in Scotland.

The use of vapes has increased in recent years, particularly among children and young people – with almost 1 in 5 children saying they have tried vaping.

We know that colourful packaging and displays are used as an enticement to children and young people, which is why we are taking action and consulting on options to address this issue. We urge everyone to have their say on how these products are marketed and sold in the future to help protect children and young people and reduce preventable harm in Scotland.

Northern Ireland Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, said:

The rise in vaping among children and young people concerns me. Restricting the visibility of these products will lessen their appeal, which in turn will reduce youth vaping and prevent future generations from nicotine addiction.

I consider it vital that we get the views from the public on the future of displaying and packaging of these products. I would encourage everyone to take the time to respond to this consultation.

Wales Deputy Minister for Preventative and Public Health, Nerys Evans, said:

Vapes are being deliberately designed and marketed to appeal to children – with bright colours, cartoon branding and sweet-sounding flavour names that have no place in products containing addictive nicotine.

It is simply unacceptable and I would urge everyone to support our efforts to protect children’s health.

Professor Steve Turner, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), said:  

Any measures that improve child health are welcome and much needed. As paediatricians, we are deeply concerned by the insidious marketing practices used by tobacco and vaping companies to target our future generations.   

For those of us working with children every day, it is clear that only strong and meaningful regulation will protect them from the harms associated with nicotine addiction. We welcome this consultation as an important step towards creating a healthier future for children and young people.

Hazel Cheeseman, Chief Executive of ASH, said:

Protecting children from harmful vape marketing is the right thing to do. Attractive, colourful branding and images have driven the appeal of vapes to children leading to an increase in use. At the same time there is a careful balance to strike with regulations. While vapes are not harm free, they are significantly less harmful than smoking, and vapes have helped millions of people successfully stop smoking in recent years.

The task now is to thread the needle of making vaping less appealing to children without making it less effective for adults who want to quit smoking. Get that balance wrong, and we risk slowing progress against smoking, the leading cause of preventable death.

The consultation seeks views on proposals for vapes and nicotine products including:

• introducing plain white packaging with restrictions on text colour, imagery, limited branding and standardised safety information
• restricting flavour names to only simple recognisable descriptions (such as ‘apple’), banning concept and sensory names as well as names relating to confectionery, sweets, desserts and alcohol
• mandating manufacturers of vape devices to make them white, black or grey, with no images, limited branding, no cosmetic lights and screens only displaying safety information (for example, battery level)
• restrict shop displays in the same way as tobacco products

Further measures in the proposals for tobacco products include:

• extending existing plain packaging requirements and health warnings for cigarettes across all tobacco products, herbal smoking products, cigarette papers and heated tobacco devices
• introducing positive quit-support messages inside all tobacco products, including cigarettes, hand-rolling tobacco, herbal smoking products and heated tobacco devices
• extending existing tobacco display restrictions to all tobacco-related products, cigarette papers and herbal smoking products
• removing an existing display exemption for bulk tobacconists, including duty-free shops and airports, meaning that tobacco products would be restricted from display in these settings
• restricting heated tobacco devices to a drab brown colour the same as tobacco packaging, with no images, limited branding, no cosmetic lights and screens only displaying safety information (for example, battery level)

This consultation is part of wider action to tackle youth vaping. It follows a ban on single-use vapes (1 June 2025), and comes ahead of:

• the introduction of a Vaping Products Duty (1 October 2026)
• future bans on the sale of vapes from vending machines and their free distribution (29 October 2026)
• an end to the advertising and sponsorship of vapes (1 June 2027)

Councillor Dr Wendy Taylor MBE, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, said:

Reducing the appeal of vapes to children with tighter controls on flavours, packaging and promotion, will be key to addressing the concerning rise in youth vaping.

There is no legitimate reason for nicotine products to come in neon packaging, feature cartoon images or use flavours and branding designed to catch a child’s eye. Products designed, packaged and promoted in ways that appeal to children have likely contributed to one in five 11 to 17 year-olds having now tried vaping.

Councils have long called for an end to vapes being dressed up like sweets and sold within arm’s reach of the pick and mix. This consultation is the moment to close the loopholes that have enabled these products that appeal to children to remain on sale.

Ailsa Rutter OBE, Director of Fresh and Balance, said:

We welcome measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Act that support our vision of ending the death and disease caused by tobacco and preventing future generations from taking up lethal smoking.

We support standardised packaging of all tobacco products. This would have the biggest impact if it is alongside public awareness campaigns on the harms of tobacco and benefits of quitting.

We know that nicotine vapes are playing a very important role in helping people quit smoking, but it is right that action is taken to reduce youth appeal. It is vital that regulations do not increase harm misconceptions about vaping compared with smoking, and that the impact of all these policies on health inequalities is closely monitored.

Dr Ian Walker, Executive Director of Policy and Information of Cancer Research UK, said:

Evidence so far shows that legal vapes are far less harmful than tobacco, but we still don’t know their long-term impact, so it’s absolutely right that the UK government is taking steps to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to young people and those who have never smoked.

As vapes are an effective cessation tool, any new regulation must make sure they are still accessible to people trying to stop smoking. Tobacco remains the biggest cause of cancer in the UK, so we’re also pleased to see plans to extend plain packaging to all tobacco products, which is proven to help shield children from a deadly addiction.

Thanks to the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Act becoming law, a future free from the devastating harms of tobacco is firmly within reach. Governments across the UK must now ensure the act is implemented fully in every nation.

Andrew McCracken, Director of External Affairs at Asthma + Lung UK, said:

This is an important first step to reduce the appeal of vaping products to children and young people. The brazen marketing of vapes to children is reprehensible and needs to be stopped.

We do not want to see anybody vaping, other than for smoking cessation. Vapes do play an important role to smokers looking to quit, but if you don’t smoke, don’t vape.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said:

Eye-catching branding, bright colours and enticing names have no place on vaping products that should never be used by children.

Too many lives are still cut short by tobacco-related heart attacks and strokes, so the government is right to look at ways of making tobacco and vaping products less attractive to young people.

Having already taken the historic step of stopping future generations from ever being legally sold cigarettes, the government must now press ahead with confidence and urgency to create a smoke-free generation sooner than any thought possible.

Alison Challenger, Policy Co-Lead for Addiction at the Association of Directors of Public Health, said:

We are pleased to see this consultation launched to support stronger restrictions on tobacco and vape product packaging. These products are designed to attract and keep our communities, and more worryingly our children and young people, hooked on these health-harming products, often through eye-catching marketing, youth-friendly messaging and strategic placement.

That is why we need standardised, plain packaging, particularly across vapes, that strips away the branding and promotional design used to make these products enticing. Alongside this, we need to better support people to quit smoking and make the harms of tobacco clearer.

Only by reducing the appeal and accessibility of these products can we stop the harms of smoking and create a smoke-free future where everyone, especially our children and young people, have the freedom to live healthier lives.

Background information

This consultation is UK-wide and runs for 12 weeks from launch.

Proposed regulations in this consultation stem from powers within the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, which received Royal Assent on 29 April.

No immediate changes to law are being made at this stage. Regulations will be developed following analysis of consultation responses.

Medicinally licensed nicotine products are exempt from these proposals and are subject to different legislation.  

Tobacco products include:

• cigars
• cigarillos
• pipe tobacco
• waterpipe tobacco (for example, shisha)
• nasal tobacco (snuff)
• chewing tobacco
• heated tobacco
• blunts

Cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco are already covered by plain packaging legislation and will have pack inserts introduced in due course. The consultation will cover all tobacco products, meaning it is futureproofed for any tobacco new product that is developed.

Proposed plain packaging legislation in line with existing cigarette packaging is for all tobacco products, herbal smoking products, heated tobacco devices and cigarette papers.

Proposed quit-themed pack inserts for all tobacco products, herbal smoking products and heated tobacco devices but not cigarette papers due to their small size.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 7 July 2026.

National framework launched to help reduce premature deaths from heart disease and strokes by a quarter over the next decade.

• New partnership with Diabetes UK to educate public on links between cardiovascular disease and diabetes and how to reduce risks for millions of people
• Action to tackle the 70% of preventable cardiovascular disease linked to risk factors including high blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and other behaviours to help reduce pressure on NHS and reduce health inequalities

Thousands of lives could be saved and millions more improved as the government sets out plans for the health and care system to help cut the one in four early deaths caused by heart disease and strokes.

Today (Tuesday 7 July) the government has launched the Cardiovascular disease modern service framework, which will be used to drive better prevention, earlier diagnosis, faster treatment  and more consistent care through health and care services across the country.

Every 3 minutes somebody in the UK dies from heart or circulatory disease with around 33,000 people dying prematurely from heart disease and stroke every year.

The framework supports the government’s ambition to cut premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% over the next 10 years and will be supported through a series of partnerships between government and charities – beginning today with Diabetes UK.

The partnership with Diabetes UK will raise awareness of the links between type 2 diabetes and heart disease and include a public awareness campaign as well as greater use of the Know Your Risk tool so people better understand the risks to their health and the positive actions they can take.

Cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes are closely linked, with people living with diabetes or prediabetes at significantly higher risk of heart attack and stroke. More than 4 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, with a further 1.3 million thought to be living with it without knowing.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, James Murray, said:

Too many people are dying early from heart attacks and strokes that we know are preventable.

This is not good enough and that’s why we are setting clear priorities to help people stay healthier for longer, identify and diagnose serious disease much earlier, and deliver better treatment when it is needed.

But we know we cannot do all this by ourselves. That is why I am proud of our new partnership with Diabetes UK, the first of many, through which we will work closely with expert organisations to help people reduce their risk of getting ill and know where to get help.

Supporting delivery of the 10 Year Health Plan, the framework marks a clear shift from reactive care to prevention, improving population health while reducing pressure on NHS services.

The framework will establish 12 immediate priorities over the next 3 years, setting out initiatives local health and care systems should deliver to cut mortality and reduce inequalities.

Priorities include:

• finding and supporting people with high-risk conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease, diabetes and heart failure, to stay healthier for longer through better management and personalised care
• ensuring people who have a heart attack or stroke receive faster, higher quality treatment when every minute counts
• improving access to rehabilitation and ongoing support so people can recover well and return to everyday life

Successful implementation of the framework could prevent between 1,600 and 2,400 premature deaths annually from heart disease and stroke (in those aged under 75) in the first 3 years, and between 3,850 and 4,900 such deaths per year after 10 years, while supporting wider efforts across the health and care system to improve outcomes.

Public Health Minister, Sharon Hodgson MP, said:

Thousands of lives are being cut short every year by preventable conditions. We know how to prevent and treat these conditions and we must do more to ensure people are getting the help they need.

The new cardiovascular disease modern service framework is an important step forward, committing local services to work together and deliver care for the people most in need. This is how we move from reactive care to prevention.

Colette Marshall, Chief Executive at Diabetes UK, said:

We’re pleased to be partnering with the Department of Health and Social Care to support its goal of reducing premature deaths from cardiovascular disease over the next decade.

Diabetes can lead to serious complications, including heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular conditions, but the risk of these can be reduced if people have equitable access to high-quality care.

We welcome the focus these new plans place on finding and supporting those at risk of type 2 diabetes and preventing the condition where possible. These improvements will also help people living with all types of diabetes manage their condition better and live longer, healthier lives.

Professor Frankie Swords, National Medical Director of NHS England, said:

Millions of people are living with common risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes without even knowing it, putting them at increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Through our prevention accelerators, NHS staff are already working with local partners to find those most at risk and offer them the right support and treatment before a silent health problem turns into a potentially life-threatening emergency.

This new partnership with Diabetes UK will build on that work, ensuring even more people understand their risk, so they are able take steps to improve their health with the support of NHS staff.

Our cardiovascular disease modern service framework sets out how we will cut premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by a quarter within a decade.

We will do this by shifting care closer to home, prioritising early diagnosis and prevention, and by delivering joined-up cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic care.

The prevention accelerators programme, which launched last month, will help deliver the priorities set out in the framework, bringing together local NHS services, councils and community partners to identify people at risk, improve uptake of high-impact cardiovascular disease and diabetes interventions and support healthier behaviours.

Jules Payne, Chief Executive of Heart UK, the cholesterol charity, said:

We applaud the government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from cardiovascular disease, as set out in the modern service framework.

High cholesterol is a key risk factor for heart attack and stroke, so raised cholesterol needs to be prevented, diagnosed and managed earlier rather than later in life.

We also need to better detect and manage inherited lipid (or blood fat) conditions such as familial hypercholesterolaemia and lipoprotein(a). Heart UK looks forward to being involved in the implementation of this strategy to better tackle prevention together.

Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said:

Today’s publication cements cardiovascular disease as a national priority and is a significant step towards saving more lives from heart attack and stroke.

With extraordinary pressure on the NHS, and cardiovascular disease claiming one life every 4 minutes in England, this focus on cardiovascular care cannot come too soon.

We welcome plans to double down on prevention, as keeping people healthy and preventing disease in the first place is how we meet the scale of this challenge. It shows the government is serious about its ambition to reduce early deaths.

We look forward to working alongside government to help deliver the change that patients need.

Juliet Bouverie OBE, Chief Executive of the Stroke Association, said:

We welcome the government’s renewed commitment to both saving and improving the lives of people affected by cardiovascular disease, including stroke. At a time when more people of all ages are having strokes, this has never been more urgently needed.

We look forward to partnering with the government and NHS, so these changes become reality for the 240 people who survive stroke every day in the UK.

We know that implementation needs to tackle the inequalities which all too often blight stroke prevention and treatment as well as ongoing recovery. Only then will stroke patients not only survive, but also get the rehabilitation and support they need to recover and rebuild their lives.

Alison Railton, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Kidney Research UK, said:

People with chronic kidney disease are 20 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than kidney failure, but early intervention can reduce these risks. Of the 7.2 million people in the UK with kidney disease, around half are undiagnosed, often living in the dark until crisis point.

That makes the government’s commitment to targeted testing vital to finding the missing millions. We look forward to working with the government to help deliver the changes set out in this strategy, including better access to life-saving drugs such as SGLT2 inhibitors, which can slow kidney disease progression and protect heart health.

Greg Fell OBE, President of the Association of Directors of Public Health, said:

Like with many conditions, cardiovascular disease can only be reduced by working together to tackle its causes and manage its impacts, and today’s announcement shows a clear commitment to support national and local partnerships to do just that.

Alongside improving diagnosis, creating environments which reduce the chance of developing cardiovascular disease is crucial to reducing deaths.

Directors of public health and their teams already work in partnership with charities, primary care and the wider health system to build healthier places for us all to live, work and play in, regardless of our background or where we live, and are uniquely placed to support this work, helping to save lives now, and prevent heart and circulatory diseases for generations to come.

Background information

The framework will introduce priority areas for change designed to:

• use neighbourhood outreach, population health tools and digital records to locate the missing millions of people with undiagnosed cardiovascular disease or whose lifestyles put them at increased risk
• better target and manage the care for those at higher risk of conditions including high cholesterol or blood pressure, and increase the proportion of people with well-managed high blood pressure to 80% over the next 3 years
• bring a renewed focus on underserved groups and communities who already experience health inequalities
• speed up and improve acute care for stroke, reducing treatment delays
• improve access to rehabilitation

The programme forms part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, shifting the NHS from treating illness to preventing it, while helping to reduce pressure on GP services and hospitals.

This announcement follows on from the June launch of 5 prevention accelerators to test new ways of identifying people at risk of serious illness earlier and helping them stay healthier for longer.

Prevention accelerators programme

The programme is an important part of the government’s commitment to shift the health service from treating sickness to preventing illness.

The first prevention accelerators are being established in Greater London, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, South Yorkshire and the West Midlands. The initial focus will be on preventing cardiovascular disease and related conditions, as cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of premature death in England.

The programme will support local NHS organisations, local councils, mayoral combined authorities and community partners to work together and identify people at risk before they become seriously unwell.

Prevention accelerators will help more people access blood pressure checks and earlier support to manage conditions that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. The initiative will test innovative, community-led approaches that can be expanded across the country if proven successful.

The programme aims to tackle health inequalities by targeting communities where preventable illness and premature death are highest. Evidence suggests that improving blood pressure control could prevent millions of healthcare episodes over the next decade, reducing pressure on GP practices and hospitals.

Learning from the 5 prevention accelerator sites will inform future efforts to improve prevention services and help people live longer, healthier lives.

Prevention accelerators is about actively finding people at risk earlier and better managing their condition, including by taking simple health checks into everyday settings where people already are, rather than waiting for them to turn up at GP surgeries or in A&E.