Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

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.

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.