Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

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.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 6 July 2026.

New NHS staff standards will make employers accountable for tackling racism, violence and sexual harassment, with results published in league tables.

• New staff standards to improve working conditions for over one and a half million NHS staff
• Hospital performance to be measured on staff wellbeing issues
• Delivers on 10 Year Health Plan commitment

NHS employers will be formally accountable for how they treat their workforce on key issues for the first time under landmark staff standards that will measure performance on tackling racism, violence and improving sexual safety measured in public league tables.

The new standards, developed in partnership with NHS England, NHS trade unions and staff representatives through the Social Partnership Forum, cover six key areas: violence prevention and reduction; championing sexual safety; tackling racism; promoting flexible working; line management; and health and wellbeing support.

The government is committing to making the NHS the best employer it can be, and has made good progress, including delivering above inflation pay rises three years in a row for staff. This year has seen record rates of staff choosing to stay in the health service, but there is still much more to do.

The NHS has a zero-tolerance policy towards racism and violence against staff or patients. Nevertheless, in the most recent Staff Survey, workers reported unacceptable levels of racism and violence against them, including sexual violence.

For the second consecutive year, there was an increase in the percentage of staff who’d personally experienced violence at work from patients, their relatives or other members of the public (14.47%).

Hardworking NHS staff must be treated with the respect they deserve, and this is the first time in the history of the health service that employers have faced formal, mandated accountability for staff experience in these areas.

Last month, the government also accepted Lord Mann’s recommendations for tackling antisemitism and discrimination in the NHS, which included measures to enhance accountability for senior leaders.

Minister for Secondary Care Karin Smyth said:

NHS staff are the backbone of our health service, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. The levels of racism, violence and sexual harassment reported by staff are completely unacceptable, and for too long there has been no formal accountability for employers to address them.

These new standards – a 10 Year Health Plan commitment – change that. For the first time, how Trusts treat their employees will be measured and published, because we know that when staff are supported, patients get better care. This government is determined to make the NHS the best employer it can be, and these standards are a landmark step in delivering on that promise.

From July 2026, NHS Trusts in secondary care – including acute hospitals, mental health services, and ambulance trusts – will be required to meet the standards, which will be assessed through a headline metric in the NHS Oversight Framework (NOF). This means how well a Trust supports its staff in key areas – assessed via the annual staff survey – will directly affect its overall performance rating alongside waiting list and A&E metrics. Employers’ actions like implementing robust violence prevention and acting when concerns are raised are likely to help with staff survey findings and their NOF scores.

The standards set a clear baseline of what NHS staff can expect from their employer, regardless of where they work. Future years will see the standards refined to drive continuous improvement, with plans to look at how the to extend the framework to primary care, including GPs and dentists, and other service types in future.

Helga Pile and Ben Morrin CoChairs of the National SPF said:

We welcome the introduction of the NHS Staff Standards and the government’s policy of improving staff experience in these areas through strengthened accountability. The Standards target the right priorities, and this marked change in accountability and support is what makes this approach different for our staff and members.

The government will need to ensure the new NHS system can provide the right oversight,  support and challenge.  Effective partnership working between employers and trade unions on implementing the standards, should then mean they result in a lasting and improved experience at work for NHS staff.

Professor Habib Naqvi, chief executive, NHS Race and Health Observatory, said:

We welcome the launch of the NHS Staff Standard for tackling racism. It brings vital focus to leadership, accountability, transparency and structural change needed across the health service.

Our diverse workforce is the backbone of the NHS, delivering outstanding care under pressure. Staff deserve to be valued, supported and protected. Yet, for too long, ethnic minority staff have faced compromised safety, inconsistent reporting and inadequate responses. Implementing national minimum standards for how healthcare organisations prevent, respond to, and learn from incidents of racism is an essential step forward.

The standard must now be backed by systemic action, evidence-based interventions and leadership accountability. Our ‘7 Principles of Anti-Racism for the NHS Workforce’ will help to create equitable, inclusive workplaces – we stand ready to support organisations as they embed these standards.

Improving staff experience is central to the government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future and the forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out further measures to achieve this.

Better working conditions are expected to support the recruitment and retention of staff, reduce sickness absence, improve productivity and ultimately deliver better outcomes for patients.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 2 July 2026.

NHS patients could access cutting-edge medicines potentially months earlier under a series of pioneering pilot schemes.

• A series of pilot schemes will test ways to get innovative medicines to NHS patients faster, and support investment in the UK
• The pilots have been developed through a joint government and industry taskforce, delivering on the commitments set out in the UK-US pharmaceutical arrangement
• Nine additional medicines have already been approved for NHS patients in England and Wales since changes to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold were announced in April

NHS patients could access cutting-edge medicines potentially months earlier under a series of pioneering pilots designed to speed up and improve the fairness of how new treatments reach patients.

A joint taskforce of government, the pharmaceutical industry and NHS representatives developed the pilots in a 10-week ‘sprint’ process, with input from patient organisations. They will begin testing new approaches to medicines pricing, access and adoption as early as this September.

One of the pilots will look specifically at how innovative treatments that have already met safety, quality and clinical standards can be given to eligible NHS patients more quickly. This includes new therapies for rare conditions.

The announcement builds on changes made to NICE’s cost-effectiveness threshold in April 2026, which have already led to 9 additional medicines being approved for NHS patients in England and Wales.

These approvals span a range of serious and life-limiting conditions, including blood disorders, autoimmune diseases and several cancers – including brain tumours that could affect young children and advanced stomach cancers for people with limited treatment options.

Together, they could give thousands of patients faster access to potentially life-changing medicines, offering new hope to people who previously had few or no effective treatment options.

As the new mechanisms become established, NICE expects that up to 5 extra medicines could be approved each year, compared with the previous arrangements, building on its track record of approving more than 90% of all medicines it assesses.

Health and Social Care Secretary, James Murray, said:

When a new medicine is proven to work, patients shouldn’t have to wait.

These pilots are designed to give life-changing treatments to NHS patients faster and more fairly than ever before, while ensuring taxpayers continue to get value for money.

That’s good for patients, good for the NHS and good for Britain’s place as a world leader in life sciences.

Other pilots agreed by the taskforce include:

• a new approach to account for the productivity benefits of new medicines, such as recognising the value of enabling people who receive treatment to return to work
• a mechanism allowing industry to co-invest in screening, testing and the full care journey of patients, to better enable the NHS to offer innovative therapies at speed and scale as soon as they are recommended by NICE
• dedicated regional funding to improve patient access to priority medicines, supporting local systems to provide faster and wider uptake of transformative innovations

These initial pilots support the government’s commitment to double innovative medicines spending from 0.3% to 0.6% of GDP over the next decade – as set out in the UK-US pharmaceutical arrangement – to deliver faster, fairer and equitable NHS patient access to cutting-edge therapies. 

Pharmaceuticals is a globally competitive industry that creates highly skilled research, manufacturing and commercial jobs across the UK. The government is committed to building on the country’s strengths in life sciences by backing innovations that deliver significant benefits for patients and wider society, supporting both the government’s growth mission and the ambitions of the 10 Year Health Plan for England and the Life Sciences Sector Plan.

Science Minister, Lord Vallance, said: 

We are in an era of rapid advances in new preventative measures, treatments and even cures. We have a responsibility to get the most important of these into the hands of doctors and patients as quickly as possible. These pilots will help us do exactly that.

Improving outcomes for patients, giving doctors more tools to treat and beat disease, and delivering the innovations that drive our ambition to become the leading life sciences country in Europe – that’s how we’re working to deliver an NHS which is fit for the future.

Richard Torbett, Chief Executive of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), said:

The measures announced today are the product of intensive and focused effort between industry and government to ensure NHS patients get the medicines they need. While there is more work to be done, today’s news represents an important step on the path to achieving our shared goal of making the UK a world-leading environment for patient access and life sciences investment.

We have already seen industry respond positively to the government’s commitment earlier this year to increase investment in innovative medicines. I hope that these delivery measures continue to build investor confidence and enable us to make further progress together.

Dr Scott Purdon, Chair, Charity Medicines Access Coalition (CMAC), said:

Today’s announcement, committing to a series of pilots designed to speed up and improve access to proven and potentially life-changing medicines, is welcome news.

We are especially pleased to see a focus on faster, fairer access to treatments. For people living with life‑threatening or life‑limiting conditions every day matters – delays aren’t just frustrating, they can shorten lives and worsen quality of life.

The inclusion of patient expertise and representation in shaping the pilots is encouraging, showing a system that is starting to listen and act on what matters most: equitable outcomes for patients.

We look forward to working with DHSC and partners to ensure these pilots break down barriers to approval and uptake, and most importantly help people get the treatments they need, when they need them.

Nick Meade, Chief Executive, Genetic Alliance UK, said: 

The vast majority of 7,000 rare conditions affecting people in the UK don’t have a cure or treatment. Many of the most serious rare conditions are progressive, and every day people’s conditions are progressing past the point where treatments can be given. Getting treatments into managed access programmes without waiting for a full NICE assessment could mean people get treated months earlier – this time saved has the real potential to save lives.

These pilots could level the playing field for rare condition treatments, overcoming some of the fundamental inequities they face in our current system due to their intrinsic low-evidence bases. We welcome this challenge being addressed and look forward to seeing how this works in practice.

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

New commissioner and extra funding announced to make maternity and neonatal care safer, fairer and more consistent across England.

• First ever commissioner to speak up for women, babies and families
• National action plan will be published in December to overhaul services and drive long-term change
• Additional £41 million investment to improve safety at maternity and neonatal facilities
• New standards for maternity triage across the country will end the postcode lottery in care 

Families across the country will see their maternity and neonatal care overhauled, as the government today (Tuesday 30 June) takes urgent steps in response to Baroness Amos’s landmark independent investigation – including the creation of the UK’s first ever maternity and neonatal commissioner. 

The new commissioner will provide independent leadership to hold the system to account, drive change and rebuild trust, co-chairing the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce with the Secretary of State. Crucially, the commissioner will ensure the voices of women are always heard by those at the heart of the system.

Baroness Amos examined the experiences of thousands of women, their families and staff, alongside local investigations of 12 trusts, and her report paints a stark picture.

It found a system that is fragmented, overly complex and too slow to learn, that women and families are not being listened to, that there is a lack of accountability and answers when things go wrong, and that racism and discrimination are driving inequalities in care. Staff also reported feeling unheard.

The measures announced today will begin the process of turning that around.

A comprehensive national action plan will be published in December 2026, setting out priority actions and long-term reform to deliver safer, fairer care. This will be driven by the taskforce, bringing together families, clinicians and other experts with a clear focus on safety, equity and accountability.

Alongside structural reform, the government is investing a further £41 million to tackle urgent safety risks in maternity and neonatal facilities, building on £145 million already committed since April 2025. This funding will address issues such as fire safety, ventilation issues and outdated infrastructure – creating safer environments for mothers and newborns.

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

For too long, women, babies and families have been failed by a system that didn’t listen. Their stories are heartbreaking and demand action. 

I am grateful to Baroness Amos for her work on this landmark review, which is a turning point. Appointing the UK’s first ever maternity and neonatal commissioner will drive lasting change and make sure women and families are never ignored again.

For patients, the changes will mean more consistent, responsive care. New national standards for maternity triage will ensure women are assessed quickly, listened to properly and given safe, timely care from the moment they arrive. The aim is clear: to end the postcode lottery and ensure every family receives the same high standard of care.

Further urgent changes include the national rollout of the Perinatal Equity and Anti-Discrimination Programme. This will tackle unacceptable inequalities in care and outcomes, particularly for Black and Asian women, those from deprived backgrounds and other marginalised groups. 

A total of 1,000 temporary roles will be created to help newly qualified midwives join the NHS, backed by more than £10 million in government funding. The jobs will be for graduates and will help prevent a third of student midwives from leaving the profession.

The taskforce will also be looking at all parts of the health system when things go wrong – including regulators – to ensure that accountability is established.

Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England, said: 

Too many women, babies and families have been harmed, bereaved or badly let down by maternity care, and too often women and families who raised concerns were not listened to.

This has to change. Women and families must be taken seriously when they say something is wrong, and staff must feel able to speak up when they are worried about safety.

The NHS is determined to address this quickly and we will work with the new maternity and neonatal commissioner to achieve this. NHS leaders are also coming together today to set out how immediate actions can be taken across all maternity and neonatal services in England to improve safety and the support and care offered to women and families.

I know recent reports will be deeply worrying for women and families, but please continue to speak to your midwife or maternity team if you have any concerns. They understand and want to make sure you have the care and support you need.

Michelle Welsh MP, Maternity Adviser, said:

I am pleased that a maternity and neonatal commissioner role will be established, and I look forward to seeing a robust appointment process take place.

I want to thank Baroness Amos for her hard and thorough work on this report, as well as those who have contributed to this effort – most importantly the families who have shared their experiences, alongside the organisations that have supported this work.

It is now vital that we work together to deliver meaningful and lasting improvements in maternity care centred around safety and compassion.

Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon OBE, Chair of the Race Equality Engagement Group, said:

The findings highlighted by Baroness Amos’s important report reveal the deeply entrenched racial inequalities that exist in maternity and neonatal services in England. 

Racism and discrimination have no place in our health service. The fact that women have received worse care due to their race or background is totally unacceptable and cannot continue. I look forward to the government’s urgent work to now deliver the manifesto commitment to set a target for tackling the maternal mortality gap.

I would also like to place on record my thanks to Baroness Amos for leading this vital and timely report.

These announcements build on significant action the government has already taken to improve maternity and neonatal services. This includes:

• implementing a new programme to reduce the 2 leading causes of avoidable brain injury during labour 
• delivering a package of initiatives and interventions to reduce stillbirths, neonatal brain injury, neonatal death and preterm birth 
• completing the full rollout of a Perinatal Culture and Leadership Programme to develop a culture of safety, learning and support for leads from all maternity and neonatal units 
• expanding maternal mental health services to support women who experience moderate to severe or complex mental health issues following birth trauma or perinatal loss
• extending the baby loss certificate scheme to include all historic losses
• rolling out guidance across the NHS to tackle the leading causes of maternal death including thrombosis, mental health, epilepsy and haemorrhage
• publishing a maternity and neonatal equalities dashboard to support NHS trusts and integrated care boards to identify and address health inequalities while promoting transparency by publishing information on outcomes
• extending Martha’s Rule to maternity and neonatal wards in England to ensure every parent can request a rapid review from an independent medical team if a baby or mother’s condition is deteriorating and they are concerned this is not being responded to
• ensuring past and present NHS staff can be compelled to provide evidence in the upcoming maternity reviews in Leeds and Sussex, once the Public Office (Accountability) Bill completes its passage through Parliament
• driving improvements in the regulation of mortuaries – including an audit of over a decade of records to strengthen accountability

Many families have positive experiences of maternity and neonatal care, but tragically there have been too many cases of avoidable harm and tragic loss. Baroness Amos’s investigation explored the reasons why this has continued and what must now change.

It is vital that women who are currently accessing maternity or neonatal care raise any concerns they may have about themselves or their baby with their midwife – they are there to support you.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 29 June 2026.

BMA votes to accept offer that will see resident doctors benefit from new pay structure and better career-progression opportunities.

Resident doctors have voted to accept an offer from the government, bringing an end to a period of industrial action that has seen 21 days of strikes by the British Medical Association (BMA) resident doctors committee since July 2025.

The government will continue to engage closely with the BMA and other stakeholders to implement this deal and establish a new working relationship, to ensure the NHS remains a place where doctors can thrive and develop rewarding, long-term careers.  

The conclusion of strikes by resident doctors will allow the NHS to focus on supporting patients and improving working conditions for all staff, rather than managing disruptive industrial action. When unions and the government work together, patients, staff and services benefit.   

Health and Social Care Secretary James Murray said:

This is very good news for resident doctors, patients and the NHS as a whole, allowing us to draw a line under the disruption of previous months and focus on getting on with the job of rebuilding our health service.

Because of this deal, resident doctors will benefit from a new pay structure, better career progression opportunities and a range of other improved conditions to support them as they rotate and train. Patients will be relieved that the NHS is entering a period of greater stability.

But this is the beginning, not the end of the journey. I know there is much more to do, and I am determined to keep working constructively with resident doctors, all NHS staff and the unions who represent them to improve their working lives and together build a health service that is fit for the future.

The deal means resident doctor pay will be 35.2% higher on average compared to 4 years ago. They will also benefit from pay structure reform, leading to more frequent wage rises as they progress and gain new skills which benefit the health service. 

Up to 4,500 additional training places will also be created, giving more resident doctors the opportunity to progress in their careers to more senior roles. Competition rates for training places have already halved this year following action from the government to put in place urgent legislation to prioritise UK graduates and those who have spent a significant period in the NHS.

The deal will also put money back in resident doctors’ pockets through the reimbursement of mandatory Royal College portfolio fees and mandatory examinations costs, often worth thousands of pounds, and improve working conditions for locally employed doctors (LEDs) and those who work less than full time (LTFT). 

NHS National Medical Director Professor Frankie Swords said:

It’s great news for patients and the NHS that resident doctors have accepted this offer. This means the NHS can focus on providing high-quality care for patients, and the best working environment for all of our staff – including important improvements for resident doctors – and we can avoid further disruption from strikes.

As ever, staff are focused on the job of caring for patients, delivering record numbers of tests and checks despite facing record demand on services due to the warm weather.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of NHS staff, and despite repeated rounds of strike action, waiting lists are over 400,000 lower than in June 2024. The government is committed to building on the progress already made – cutting waiting lists further and continuing to improve conditions for the staff who make the NHS work, in partnership with them.

Each day of strike action by resident doctors costs the NHS around £50 million. The cost of settling this dispute is a fraction of the cost of ongoing industrial action by resident doctors and prevents thousands of appointments and procedures being cancelled on each day of strike action. 

The government is committed to improving working conditions for all NHS staff. The NHS Staff Council has been issued with a mandate to negotiate changes to the Agenda for Change pay structure, to ensure that nurses, midwives and paramedics are fairly compensated for the invaluable work they do.

The government has also been working constructively with trade unions to discuss options for consultant contract reform and specialty, associate specialists and specialist (SAS) career progression, in recognition of the valuable contribution of senior NHS doctors. 

Thanks to record investment, modernisation and the remarkable efforts of NHS staff across the country, we are making the NHS fit for the future.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 24 June 2026.

Landmark patient safety initiative, Martha’s Rule, rolled out to all maternity settings after review found serious and sustained failures.

Mothers and newborns across the country will be better protected, as landmark patient safety measure Martha’s Rule will be rolled out to all maternity settings in England, following a string of serious and sustained failures at maternity wards in the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH).

Donna Ockenden’s review – the largest into maternity and neonatal services in NHS history – considered the experiences of maternity care for 2,500 families and found women ignored or complaints dismissed, missed opportunities to identify deteriorating patients and a culture of silencing both junior staff and parents.

The government will today (Wednesday 24 June) commit to rolling out Martha’s Rule across maternity and neonatal wards in England to ensure every parent can request a rapid review from an independent medical team if a baby or mother’s condition is deteriorating and they are concerned this is not being responded to.

The scheme – which is helping transform the NHS’s culture and has been rolled out for inpatients in every acute hospital in England – has already been piloted in 15 maternity and neonatal settings, with rollout to more expected this year.

NHS data shows that there have already been over 2,100 calls to Martha’s Rule requiring changes in a patient’s treatment, with over 600 calls leading to potentially life-saving interventions to transfer them to enhanced levels of care.

The safety initiative is named after Martha Mills, who died in 2021 aged 13 after developing sepsis in hospital, where she had been admitted with a pancreatic injury after falling off her bike.

Martha’s family’s concerns about her deteriorating condition were not responded to, and in 2022 a coroner ruled that Martha would probably have survived had she been moved to intensive care earlier.

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

Last week I met with the families in Nottingham and heard first-hand about the devastating loss they have suffered, often caused by horrendous care they received on the NHS. Donna Ockenden’s review lays bare a culture where too many voices went unheard, too many opportunities to prevent harm were missed and too many lives were lost. That’s why we have to take action, and quickly.

No family should ever have to battle the system that is meant to care and protect them. That is why Martha’s Rule is so fundamental. It provides a way for a concerned mum or family member to raise the alarm before it is too late.

I want families across the country to feel safe when they walk through the doors of their maternity settings. Today marks a step in achieving that – but this is just the beginning.

I want to thank Donna for her work over the last 4 years. These clear recommendations will form part of our national plan to deliver real improvements in maternal and neonatal care, in Nottingham and beyond.

Those responsible for failures will be compelled to give evidence to investigations into failing maternity care to end a culture of secrecy and prevent further harm.

This action will help ensure the reviews in Leeds and Sussex are fair and comprehensive, so that uncovering the truth does not rely solely on those who choose to come forward voluntarily. Those who refuse to do so or deliberately withhold information about failures could face up to 2 years in prison.

The measures are designed to tackle the culture of silence exposed by the Nottingham review, where over 800 staff gave evidence but many described a culture of being silenced by senior clinicians and hospital bosses when raising concerns around patient safety. This will ensure that for both reviews of Sussex and Leeds, staff are heard and families are closer to getting the answers they deserve.

Reports of incidents in mortuaries across the country will also be more tightly reviewed, following the deeply concerning findings about the lack of respect given to deceased babies, and the complete disregard to their dignity. The Human Tissue Authority will require all mortuaries to review internal records dating from 2015 to 2026 to ensure all incidents have been logged and reported. This will strengthen accountability, ensuring concerns cannot be hidden or overlooked.

Donna Ockenden, Chair of the Independent Review, said:

To every family who came forward, I want to say this: we have listened. It is my sincere hope that through this review you now feel as though your voices have been heard and what happened to you and your families has been recognised and will be acted upon. 

Today, we have started the process of providing answers. We have set out clear findings and essential actions to address the concerns raised by families and staff. These actions when implemented will drive improvement both within  perinatal services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and  across England.

While the majority of births on the NHS are safe, too many families have suffered harm that should never have happened. Their experiences will drive real and lasting change to maternity services in England, driven by staff working to improve services.

Michelle Welsh MP, the government’s first Maternity Adviser, said:

Donna Ockenden’s review is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences when women, families and frontline staff are not listened to. The experiences of the Nottingham families must be a catalyst for lasting change across maternity and neonatal services.

We owe it to every mother, baby and family affected by these failures to ensure that lessons are learned and that meaningful improvements are delivered across the NHS.

The measures announced today – including the extension of Martha’s Rule and the Hillsborough Law – are a positive step in ensuring the lived experience of women is at the heart of reforming maternity care.

NUH is also taking immediate action, introducing a new helpline for concerned members of the public available from today. The helpline will provide support for families who use or have used NUH maternity and neonatal services and may have concerns or questions following the publication of the report and media coverage. Details on how to access this service will be available via the NUH website.

Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England, said:

I am so sorry for the heartbreaking loss, grief and pain experienced by women and families at Nottingham.

My thoughts are with those who have been harmed, bereaved or let down by the care they received. They have shown extraordinary courage in speaking up, and their voices must be at the centre of how the NHS responds.

We’ve introduced new national clinical standards which are helping prevent harm and ensure women get urgent maternity care more quickly, and local leaders and staff in Nottingham are working hard to address these failings. However, this report shows the scale of what still needs to change.

I know it can be worrying for women using maternity services, but please continue to speak to your midwife or maternity team if you have any concerns.

This government has already taken urgent action on maternity. Since 2025, the government has invested £145 million to improve the safety of maternity and neonatal care facilities. Other measures include:

• implementing a new programme to reduce the 2 leading causes of avoidable brain injury during labour
• delivering a package of initiatives and interventions to reduce stillbirths, neonatal brain injury, neonatal death and preterm birth
• introducing a Perinatal Culture and Leadership Programme to develop a culture of safety, learning and support for leads from all maternity and neonatal units
• expanding maternal mental health services to help women and extended the baby loss certificate scheme to include all historic losses
• rolling out guidance across the NHS to tackle the leading causes of maternal death including thrombosis, mental health, epilepsy and haemorrhage

A national action plan will be developed through the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of State, bringing together the findings of this review and Baroness Amos’ report to drive real and lasting change for women and families across the country.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 19 June 2026.

Resident doctors will vote on an offer that will see greater opportunities for career progression, better pay and improved working conditions.

• Offer improves resident doctor pay, working conditions and career progression
• Ballot opened on 18 June and will close on 26 June 
• Simple majority will end strikes long term

Resident doctors will see greater opportunities for career progression, better pay and improved working conditions if they vote for the government’s transformative offer in a ballot.

The British Medical Association (BMA) is now putting the offer to members for their say. Strikes set to take place this week were called off as a result of this vote.

The government has carefully listened to feedback provided by the BMA resident doctors committee on behalf of their membership and worked with them to strengthen and clarify the offer originally made in March.

The offer would see resident doctors benefit from pay structure reform, leading to more frequent pay rises as doctors gain key competencies and demonstrate increasing capability. The revised offer brings forward pay scale reform so that resident doctors experience the benefit of the pay rises faster compared with the offer set out in March.

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

This transformative offer improves the pay, working conditions and job prospects of hardworking resident doctors. 

It is a very good offer, and it’s one that will not get any better. 

We now all have a chance to draw a line under the disruption of strikes and focus on getting on with the job of caring for patients and fixing our health service.

Resident doctors have had a 28.9% pay rise over the last 3 years – the highest anywhere in the public sector.

Under the offer, resident doctors would see an average pay rise of 4.9% this year, making resident doctors on average 35.2% better off than 4 years ago. There would be even higher pay rises on average for the lowest paid first year and second year doctors – at 6.2% and 7.1% respectively.

The offer would also put money back in resident doctors’ pockets through the reimbursement of mandatory Royal College portfolio fees and mandatory examinations costs, often worth thousands of pounds. It would also raise the flexible pay premia for clinical academic resident doctors to £10,000 in recognition of their unique contribution. 

To tackle training bottlenecks that can hinder career progression, the offer would see up to an additional 4,500 training posts implemented over the next 3 years, including 1,000 next year. Two hundred and fifty of these roles will start in February 2027. This builds on the impact of the Medical Training Prioritisation Act – the new law this government has already brought in – which is expected to halve competition ratios for this year’s applicants.

The offer also provides greater stability for locally employed doctors who are employed on a different contract to most resident doctors, allowing them to progress more easily into higher training and improve their terms and conditions.

Professor Francesca Swords, National Medical Director for the NHS, said:

We want the NHS to be the best place to work for resident doctors, and we know we haven’t always got things right.

But we are turning things around: ending the frustration of payroll errors, providing faster turnaround on repaying expenses and offering more training places – and we will not stop this important work.

This offer agreed together with BMA will increase pay further for resident doctors, reimburse them for expensive exam fees, ensure they have better training and job opportunities, and improve working conditions further.

I hope resident doctors are already starting to feel the difference, and I hope that they recognise the further significant improvements this deal could make for them.

In the most recent round of strikes, NHS staff delivered 94.1% of planned care, but every day of strike action affects patients and colleagues, impacts the NHS budget and delays improvements to working conditions. 

If this offer is rejected in pursuit of further damaging industrial action, it will be operationally and financially impossible for the government to maintain such a generous offer again.

Resident doctors have until 26 June 2026 to vote on the offer, with a simple majority needed to proceed with the offer and end the strikes for the long term.

Despite major challenges, under this government NHS staff are treating more patients than ever before. The overall waiting list is now 403,000 lower than in June 2024 and 171,000 lower than a year ago. 

Thanks to our record investment, modernisation and the remarkable efforts of NHS staff across the country, we are making the NHS fit for the future. 

The press release issued by the Department for Health and Social Care on 11 June 2026.

The government will offer flu vaccination to those experiencing homelessness beginning in Autumn.

• People experiencing homelessness will be given free flu vaccination on the NHS
• Vaccinations will be made available as part of the rollout later this year and ahead of winter
• Government fulfilling its promise to help protect those most at risk People experiencing homelessness in England will be offered free flu jabs on the NHS.

A vaccination programme will support those experiencing rough sleeping and people staying in homeless hostels or night shelters, protecting a group at high risk of serious respiratory illness who are too often left behind.

We know that people experiencing homelessness are more likely to experience worse NHS access, worse outcomes and to die younger. Through the 10 Year Health Plan, this government vowed to end this intolerable injustice by providing an NHS designed to tackle such inequalities and give everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, the means to engage with the NHS on their own terms.

The government is delivering on this promise by offering flu vaccination to people experiencing homelessness – beginning in Autumn – in line with when the next season of flu vaccinations are available.

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

For too long, people experiencing homelessness have faced some of the worst health outcomes in the country and have too often been missed by services many of us take for granted.

They should not miss out on potentially life-saving protection against flu when they can be at similar, or even greater, risk from the disease than some groups already eligible for vaccination

This change is about putting that right. By rolling out flu vaccinations to homeless people, we are delivering on our promise to tackle health inequalities and make sure support reaches those who need it most.

The update comes after the government accepted the expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to make NHS pneumococcal and seasonal flu vaccinations available to those experiencing homelessness.

Steve Davies, Regional Head at St Mungo’s said: 

Contracting the flu can be dangerous even with a roof over your head. Experiencing homelessness alongside the flu can dramatically increase the risk of hospital admission – and even death.

Health needs generally are becoming more acute amongst the people we support. Initiatives like this go a long way to preventing people who are homeless from being overlooked in this wider crisis in public health.

Under the NHS 10 Year Plan and through wider collaboration across government and charities, we need to continue to ensure that every person facing homelessness has access to a healthcare system that enhances – rather than reduces – their life.

For this policy, those experiencing homelessness means people experiencing rough sleeping and people staying in homeless hostels or night shelters.

JCVI advice shows this group faces very high levels of poor health and can be at similar, or even greater, risk from flu and pneumococcal disease than some groups already routinely eligible for vaccination.

Increasing vaccination among vulnerable groups can also help to protect the wider public by reducing the spread of flu through communities, helping prevent avoidable hospitalisations and easing winter pressures on NHS and emergency services during periods of high seasonal demand. 

Caroline Temmink, NHS director of vaccination said:

The NHS is for everyone, and we know that people who are homeless face greater health risks from flu, so it’s right they should receive the same potentially life-saving protection as other eligible at-risk groups.

This is an important decision in tackling health inequalities and the NHS will set out detailed plans for roll out in due course.

Professor Andrew Hayward, UKHSA National Lead for Inclusion Health said:

Respiratory infections including flu are a leading cause of preventable hospital admissions in people experiencing homelessness and contribute to reduced life expectancy.  

This commitment to roll out flu vaccines to people using hostels, night-shelters or sleeping rough will make an important contribution to wider cross-government initiatives to reduce the many health harms caused by homelessness.

Homelessness Minister, Alison McGovern said:

Too often, people experiencing homelessness are cut off from routine healthcare, exposed to serious illness, and face much higher risks as a result.

That’s why we are taking action across government to tackle homelessness through £3.6 billion worth of investment and improve access to vital services for those most at risk, in line with our National Plan to End Homelessness.

By making flu jabs available, we are taking practical action to protect lives and ensure support reaches those who need it most.

Many other cohorts and vulnerable groups already receive free flu vaccination, including people over the age of 65, pregnant women, people with long-term health conditions, people who are immunosuppressed, carers and household contacts of people with immunosuppression.

This change builds on that wider protection by making sure homeless people are not overlooked and can get the same chance to stay well through winter.

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

Government invests in AI technologies to modernise the NHS and reduce waiting times.

• Over 4 million patients have received a faster lung cancer diagnosis or all-clear thanks to AI tools.
• £20 million government investment to roll out this proven technology to every NHS Trust in England by 2029.
• A further £8.1 million to pilot six cutting-edge AI and digital technologies across 13 NHS sites, targeting faster care for heart failure, strokes, lung cancer and more.

Millions of patients will receive faster diagnoses thanks to almost £30 million of government funding in artificial intelligence across the NHS.

This funding will expand proven AI technology to every NHS Trust in England while piloting the next generation of digital innovation, marking the latest step in the government’s drive to modernise the NHS and reduce waiting times.

AI-powered X-ray tools that act as a virtual ‘second pair of eyes’ for radiologists will be rolled out to all NHS Trusts in England by 2029, backed by £20 million of government funding – meaning faster diagnoses and quicker treatment for patients.

This technology, currently available in half of England’s NHS Trusts, is already transforming care for patients, helping more than 4 million receive a faster diagnosis or all-clear for lung cancer by improving patient care routes.

Early data shows the technology helps radiologists analyse scans in an average of just four days, compared to eight days for the most complex cases previously. By helping clinicians manage growing demand for imaging services more efficiently and easing pressure on radiology teams, the technology is enabling patients to receive follow-up diagnostic tests sooner, helping speed up diagnosis and access to treatment.

Health and Social Care Secretary, James Murray said:

For too many patients, a cancer diagnosis tragically comes too late. These AI tools are already changing that – giving radiologists a sharper eye, cutting waiting times, and getting people the lifesaving treatment they need faster.

Rolling this out to every NHS Trust in the country means millions more patients will benefit, and that is exactly the kind of change this government is determined to deliver – regardless of where you live.

This is what shifting the NHS from analogue to digital looks like in practice. Backed by new investment to test the next generation of technology, we are building an NHS that is fit for the future – and faster for every patient who needs it.

Chest X-rays are one of the most important tools in diagnosing England’s biggest cancer killer, lung cancer, with over seven million performed across the NHS each year. By cutting the time it takes to analyse them, the tools are expected to help more patients begin treatment within 62 days of a GP referral. This is in line with cancer waiting time standards and a key commitment set out in the National Cancer Plan.

This funding forms part of the AI Diagnostic Fund, a key component of the Prime Minister’s AI Exemplars programme – which is harnessing AI to improve public services, modernise the systems, and support clinicians to diagnose patients more quickly and reduce the diagnostic backlog.

Minister for Digital Government, Ian Murray said:

AI is not a future promise – it is already saving lives in our NHS today. For someone waiting to find out whether a shadow on their lung could be cancer, getting that answer in four days instead of eight means four fewer days of uncertainty – and a much quicker path to treatment or reassurance.

Now we’re taking what works and making it available everywhere. This is how we modernise the NHS – cutting delays, giving clinicians better tools and delivering faster care for patients wherever they live.

With clinicians firmly in control, we’re safely scaling proven technology – showing how AI can transform public services and deliver better outcomes for people across the country.

Peter Allinson, a 59-year-old regular hill walker from Manchester, was referred urgently to Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) by his GP, after experiencing severe breathlessness while on a routine hike. Peter was assessed at MFT using the AI chest X-ray tool, which helped clinicians reach a rapid diagnosis. He was diagnosed with sarcoidosis and started on treatment within two weeks, helping to prevent further progression of his condition.

Peter said:

When I collapsed on that hillside, I genuinely thought my life was over. To go from that terrifying moment to having a diagnosis and being on treatment within two weeks was just remarkable. I’m so grateful for how quickly everything moved and for the care I received. The speed of the diagnosis made a real difference—I feel like I’ve been given my life back.

Additionally, six innovative AI and digital technologies will also be developed and tested at 12 NHS Trusts and one GP partnership across England and Scotland. This will be backed by £8.1 million of government funding through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The technologies will support NHS staff to analyse CT scans, ECGs and X-rays, offer digital therapy, and identify the most urgent cases for prioritisation. If successful, they could deliver faster, better care for patients with heart failure, stroke, lung cancer, lung infections and tic disorders and ultimately save lives.

These research studies will further bolster the evidence base for how equipping NHS staff with the latest technology can improve patient outcomes and boost productivity across the entire health service.

Technologies that prove effective will be rolled out more widely across the NHS, following the same path as the AI X-ray tools that have already helped over 4 million patients.

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care and CEO of the NIHR said:

By backing these six digital research projects, the NIHR is helping to drive the fundamental shift from an analogue to a digital health service and deliver the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.

This important investment in AI and innovation will cut NHS waiting times, fast-tracking diagnoses and ensuring patients receive more accessible, efficient, and high-quality care.

Alongside this, the NIHR also announced this week the launch of its Innovation Catalyst, which will fund and support the most promising, disruptive research to evaluate innovations across medtech, digital health, biotech and pharmaceuticals. The Catalyst aims to support innovations progressing through regulatory approval and being considered for adoption across the NHS and wider health system.

These initiatives underline the government’s ambition to make the NHS a world leader in the adoption of AI and digital health technology, driving improvements in care while freeing up staff to focus on the patients who need them most.

Stella Vig, NHS National Clinical Director for Elective Care said:

This is a great example of the NHS harnessing the benefits of AI to support clinicians so that patients receive a diagnosis or the all-clear more quickly, improving care and speeding up treatment.

Rolling this out at all NHS trusts will mean even more can benefit from this pioneering technology which makes a real difference to people’s lives.

Paula Chadwick, Chief Executive, Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation said: 

We welcome this announcement of increased investment in AI diagnostic tools across the NHS. In lung cancer, we are already seeing the benefit to patients of this technology, in ensuring faster x-ray reporting and diagnosis. Reducing the time to receive x-ray results, cuts down anxiety and uncertainty. Accessing the appropriate treatment, as quickly as possible, is vitally important in ensuring people affected by lung cancer have the best possible outcome of care.

Gemma Peters, Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support said:

To meet our cancer ambitions, we need everyone to be able to benefit from the best innovations, no matter who they are or where they live. Today’s announcement is an important step forward, harnessing innovative technologies to reduce the anxiety of waiting at what can be one of the most worrying times in a person’s life.

Macmillan is committed to making cancer care fairer. That includes investing in and spreading proven innovations across diagnostics, treatment and care, to revolutionise outcomes and improve the experience of people living with cancer.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK said:

We welcome this investment in cutting edge technology at a national level. It’s so important to be able to move beyond individual pilots and implement these innovations more broadly to ensure as many people as possible can benefit.

AI tools for chest X rays have the potential to improve the time it takes to analyse scans, and we look forward to seeing how they can be further rolled out across the NHS in England. AI can play an important role in speeding up cancer diagnoses however, this can only be achieved with sufficient workforce, capacity and well-designed pathways.

Dr Stephen Harden, President of the Royal College of Radiologists said:

AI has significant potential to support radiologists in identifying serious conditions more quickly and helping patients receive a diagnosis sooner. Investment in technologies that have been shown to improve patient care is welcome, particularly at a time of growing demand for diagnostics across the NHS.

As these tools are rolled out more widely, evidence-based, clinician-led implementation will be key to their success. AI should support doctors by helping them work more effectively, rather than replacing the expert judgement that patients value and expect. Radiologists will remain central to diagnosis, clinical decision-making, and patient care.

Used safely and appropriately, AI can be an important part of improving productivity and helping patients access timely care.

Andrew Davies, Executive Director, Digital Health, Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) said: 

HealthTech has a vital role to play in supporting the NHS workforce, improving productivity, and helping patients access diagnosis and treatment more quickly. The potential of AI is particularly significant. When deployed appropriately, AI can support clinicians by analysing information more efficiently, helping to identify patients who require urgent attention, and reducing delays across care pathways.

Today’s announcement is an important example of how proven technologies should be scaled to benefit more patients and support NHS priorities. By helping clinicians make faster decisions and enabling earlier diagnosis, AI has the potential to improve outcomes while supporting a more productive and sustainable health service.

Matthew Hopkins, Interim Acute and Ambulance Director NHS Alliance, said: 

NHS leaders will welcome greater investment in AI diagnostics tools as a vital enabler toward earlier detection, shorter waits and faster treatment. When used well, AI tools can support more proactive, personalised care and ease pressure on overstretched staff.

However, long‑term success depends on sustained policy implementation and capital funding, so every NHS organisation has the infrastructure, connectivity and training needed to deploy these tools safely and effectively.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 2 June 2026.

Government announces over £20 million to improve prostate cancer research and treatment, including improving access to a major trial for Black men.

• More Black men to be invited to join major prostate trial to help find best screening strategy for cancer and tackle inequalities
• Over £20 million to improve prostate cancer research and treatment, including improving access to TRANSFORM trial for Black men
• Broadening access to less invasive treatments for prostate cancer, to support expansion of the TRANSFORM trial

Men at highest risk of prostate cancer will benefit from research to find the best screening strategy and more treatment choices under a major new £20 million package announced today (2 June 2026).

A landmark prostate cancer screening trial will be expanded so that for the first time, all eligible Black men will be invited to take part. The TRANSFORM study – jointly funded by Prostate Cancer UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) – is testing the best ways to detect prostate cancer earlier and save more lives, while avoiding unnecessary treatment and the associated harms.

The move recognises that Black men face a higher risk of prostate cancer and aims to build the evidence needed to find the best screening strategy and tackle long-standing inequalities.

To ensure the expansion reaches Black men from all communities, supported by the funding from NIHR, the TRANSFORM investigators are working with Prostate Cancer UK to boost community engagement around the country and encourage Black men to take part in the trial.

The Secretary of State will also host a roundtable alongside the Deputy Prime Minister with representatives of local community organisations – supported by Prostate Cancer UK and NIHR – this week to hear directly from community organisations about their work supporting Black men to be part of this research.

The government is also broadening access to focal therapies. These are less invasive treatments that target prostate cancer, giving men greater choice about their options when they receive a new diagnosis.

Alongside this, the government has accepted a recommendation from the independent UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) to introduce England’s first targeted prostate cancer screening programme.

Men who carry the BRCA2 gene variant and have a family history of prostate, breast, pancreatic or ovarian cancer will be offered a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test every 2 years between the ages of 45 and 61. The final recommendation follows a public consultation that received nearly 1,000 responses, with the programme expected to be rolling out in 2027.

Health and Social Care Secretary, James Murray, said:

This is a major step forward in how we tackle prostate cancer – focusing on those most at risk, improving the treatments available, and backing the research we need to close the evidence gaps and save lives.

We’re following the science to make sure men get earlier answers and better care, and to avoid doing unnecessary harm.

By investing in research through trials such as TRANSFORM, we’re building a fairer, more effective prostate cancer screening system for the future.

Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy, said:

Tackling prostate cancer is personal for me. I’ve got 2 brothers living with the disease, and I’ve seen first-hand the toll it takes on individuals and their loved ones.

Helping more Black men take part in this research is about saving lives, closing deadly inequalities and making sure we understand what works best for those most at risk.

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Chief Executive Officer of NIHR, said:

Expansion of the TRANSFORM trial to all eligible Black men is a massive step forward in strengthening the evidence to find the best, most effective and safest ways to screen those at highest risk of prostate cancer.

The investigator team will continue to work closely with Black community leaders and organisations to support meaningful participation in research across all parts of our society.

Building a screening programme on the strongest possible evidence depends on people from all backgrounds taking part. We encourage anyone invited to take part to take up this opportunity.

Laura Kerby, Chief Executive at Prostate Cancer UK, said:

After so much disappointment, this announcement is a truly historic moment. Black men are twice as likely to get the disease and twice as likely to die from it.

That’s why we’re delighted that the government has more than doubled its support for TRANSFORM and is backing our Black Health Equity Strategy, allowing us to generate the vital evidence needed to ensure those at highest risk are diagnosed earlier, when treatment is most effective.

This is only possible because of the commitment and leadership of Black communities across the country, bringing us a step closer to a world where no man dies from prostate cancer.

Director of Policy at Cancer Research UK, Dr Ian Walker, said:

The government’s decision to accept UK NSC’s recommendation for a targeted prostate cancer screening programme is in line with the currently available evidence. We appreciate this will be disappointing for some, but screening must be evidence-led and we welcome the committee’s assurance to assess any new evidence quickly. Cancer Research UK funded treatments like abiraterone have made a huge difference for men with prostate cancer, and we continue to invest in research for new tests and treatments.

Meanwhile, we will be working with the government and wider cancer community to improve guidance for GPs to enable them to support men worried about their risk of prostate cancer.

Actor Colin McFarlane said:

History has been made with this decision. Black men have been left to fend for themselves against prostate cancer for far too long – in fact, my own diagnosis only came after a chance conversation with another actor who told me I was at risk of getting it.

Now Black men have been given a lifeline, a solid shot at getting an early diagnosis like I luckily had. I’m proud to have campaigned with Prostate Cancer UK for a number of years to push for change and to raise vital funds for their research like this incredible TRANSFORM trial. We’re now a huge step closer to young men like my son one day getting a lifesaving routine screening programme.

Matt Green (also known as the Rapping Science Teacher) said:

Our family has been hit by the fear and heartbreak of prostate cancer. My dad got diagnosed with the disease when it had already spread, and we were devastated to lose him.

This extra funding is incredible news that really changes the game for Black men everywhere. I’m proud to support Prostate Cancer UK, especially as they lead the groundbreaking TRANSFORM trial. This research represents our biggest opportunity in decades to find the definitive evidence needed to build a much-needed national screening programme and help to save thousands of lives.

My 2 boys – and all of us – deserve a future where they can be confident that, if there is a problem, they will get an early prostate cancer diagnosis.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi DL, Chief Executive, Caribbean and African Health Network (CAHN), said:

We welcome the renewed commitment to ensure that the TRANSFORM trial has a clear target for Black men: one in 10 invitees at stage 1 and all eligible Black men at stage 2. CAHN will work with government and Prostate Cancer UK to ensure this ambition translates to equitable participation and positive experiences, where feedback is valued.

The TRANSFORM trial could be critical in directly tackling the disproportionality of prostate cancer in Black men if trust is built at different levels of its governance. Through the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Black Health and partners, we would develop a dedicated independent Black community stakeholder group to ensure accountability and scrutiny over the course of the trial.

Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, President of the Royal College of GPs, said:

GPs are committed to improving the early detection of prostate cancer and reducing the number of lives lost to the disease.

Screening programmes should be introduced where there is clear evidence that the benefits outweigh the potential harms. UK NSC’s recommendation reflects the current evidence on PSA-based population screening, including concerns about overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment, and we note the government’s decision to accept this.

At the same time, we recognise the need for continued progress. We welcome ongoing research, including the expansion of the TRANSFORM trial, to develop more accurate approaches to identifying clinically significant prostate cancer. We hope advances in testing and risk assessment will inform future screening policy and improve outcomes for patients.

The independent UK NSC recommendation recognises that a national screening programme for all men could lead to large numbers being diagnosed and treated for cancers that would never have caused harm. This targeted approach focuses testing where the benefits clearly outweigh the risks.

The government is also working with the UK Cancer Genetics Group (UKCGG) and Cancer Research UK to develop guidance for GPs. This will help them support men who have a suspected family history of prostate cancer but are not eligible for screening and who ask about having a PSA test.

Guidance for GPs and the public will be updated in line with the new recommendation to make advice clearer and easier to follow, including ensuring that those men who are already offered annual tests under existing clinical guidance will continue to receive them.

From 2027 men diagnosed with prostate cancer that is being actively monitored or treated will be able to order a PSA test at home or book an in-person blood test locally through the NHS App.

More widely, the government is making strong progress on cancer, with around 95,000 more patients receiving a diagnosis or the all-clear for suspected cancer on time as compared to last year. The recently published National Cancer Plan for England will ensure patients get a faster diagnosis, quicker treatment and the support to live well.

As results come in from trials like TRANSFORM and the evidence base develops, UK NSC will keep recommendations under review to ensure screening policy continues to reflect the best available science.

Karen Robb, Director of Programme Implementation for Cancer at Movember, said:

Movember are delighted to see the government inject significant funds to ensure the landmark TRANSFORM trial includes all eligible Black men, giving those most at risk of prostate cancer a seat at the table. We’ve proudly contributed funding to the TRANSFORM study from its inception, alongside Prostate Cancer UK, NIHR and the NHS.

Knowing that funds raised by the grassroots Movember community are now backed by another major government investment is hugely significant.

Vishwanath Hanchanale, Chair of the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) Section of Oncology, said:

We recognise today’s announcement as a positive and important development, and acknowledge DHSC’s further commitment to invest over £20 million towards the expansion of stage 2 of the prostate cancer screening (TRANSFORM) trial.

We appreciate the government’s commitment to work with UKCGG and Cancer Research UK to better support GPs and strengthen public guidance, while ensuring that secondary care is appropriately recognised and embedded within this approach.

Today’s commitments represent meaningful progress, and we strongly believe that to realise the full benefits of earlier detection and advances in treatment there must be sustained investment across the diagnostic pathway, including workforce, capacity, infrastructure and robust genetic testing, alongside equitable access to evidence-based treatments across the UK and action to reduce unwarranted variation in care.

Commitments announced today

The over £20 million package announced today comprises the following commitments:

• NIHR is providing up to £18 million in new funding to expand the TRANSFORM trial, enabling all eligible Black men to be invited to stage 2 of the trial, subject to successful stage 1 outcomes
• the government is investing up to £2.8 million in capital funding to strengthen and expand provision of focal therapy – a minimally invasive prostate cancer treatment – in line with the expansion of the TRANSFORM trial
• NIHR and Prostate Cancer UK, as co-funders of the TRANSFORM trial, are also asking the TRANSFORM investigators to accelerate and increase community engagement – particularly with Black men – using existing trial funding already committed by both organisations
• the government will be working with Prostate Cancer UK, as they establish a national network as part of their Black Health Equity Strategy, to increase and accelerate engagement of Black men into the TRANSFORM trial. Over the next few years, Prostate Cancer UK will invest £150,000 a year, as well as funds from the trial, to build and utilise this network
• the government will increase its commitment to the TRANSFORM trial so that invitations to stage 2 can be extended to all eligible Black men, subject to successful stage 1 outcomes

In stage 1, one in 10 invitees are Black men. In stage 2 all eligible Black men will be invited, including Black men who:

• are aged 45 to 74
• are residents in the UK
• have not had a PSA test or prostate MRI scan in the last 5 years