Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

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BMA resident doctors committee on behalf of their membership and worked with them to strengthen and clarify the offer originally made in March.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

The press release issued by the Department for Health and Social Care on 1 June 2026.

NHS Modernisation Bill will introduce the single patient record, resulting in safer, more co-ordinated care for patients.

• Single patient record will mean people don’t have to repeat their medical history to different NHS staff unnecessarily
• NHS Modernisation Bill will introduce reforms to support patients and ease burden on hospitals
• Expected to save NHS more than £20million a year by reducing medication errors, adverse drug reactions and duplicate prescribing

Up to 20,000 fewer patients will have to go to A&E and 6,000 fewer will be admitted to hospital each year thanks to reforms made possible by new legislation marking the next step in the government’s plan to make the NHS in England fit for the future.

The NHS Modernisation Bill, which will be debated in Parliament today (Monday 1 June), will introduce the single patient record, allowing fragmented health information to be joined up around the country for the first time ever.

The single patient record will mean all NHS providers – including hospitals and GPs – have to share data so the right doctors, nurses and specialists across England can securely see a patient’s medical history, no matter where they are treated.

For patients, this means they will not have to keep repeating their story unnecessarily. It will result in safer, more co-ordinated care, with clinicians having the full picture when and where it’s needed.

The record will support better care closer to home – joining up community services and helping people manage their conditions. It will reduce A&E attendances by allowing better community care for frailty patients and reducing misdiagnoses.

It will give clinicians across the country a complete view of patients’ medicines, allergies and prescribing history, allowing them to deliver safer treatment and saving the taxpayer more than £20 million per year in unnecessary medicines expenditure. It will also save doctors around 500,000 hours a year by having patient data available on the spot and reducing the amount of time spent searching for information and inputting data which they will be able to spend on treating patients instead of admin.

Patients will also have more control over their care, with clear safeguards, audit trails and choice over how their data is used.

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

When I was in my 20s I was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition. I am now symptom-free and I get fantastic support from the NHS. But I know how much effort it can be to keep different parts of the health service joined up, and how distressing it is for some patients to repeat their medical history over and over.

That’s why our Single Patient Record is so important. It sits at the heart of our NHS Modernisation Bill will end this once and for all – making care safer while saving clinicians’ time.

My priority as Health Secretary is to modernise the NHS and make it work better for patients. This is our 10 Year Health Plan in action — making the NHS fit for the future by building it around patients’ lives, not the other way round.

Dr Alec Price-Forbes, National Chief Clinical Information Officer at NHS England, said:

For too long, patient information has been held in silos, leading to patients having to repeat their stories, and creating workarounds, potential duplication or gaps in understanding for clinicians.

The Single Patient Record will give us an invaluable single point of truth for both the clinician and the patient and means higher quality, safer, more joined-up and more personalised care for patients.

Clinicians will get improved access to records as early as 2027 for specialties including maternity and frailty care.

At present, pregnant women are required to go through their entire medical history in a first appointment with a midwife, relying on memory. There can subsequently be gaps in information as women move through their pregnancy, and can be distressing for those who have suffered baby loss. The single patient record will stop this issue at source.

Dr Michael Cocker, consultant obstetrician at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said it will “set a new benchmark” for maternity care while Dr Maurice Cohen, consultant geriatrician at North Middlesex Hospital and clinical director at the London Frailty Network, said the single patient record would mean the NHS is “wrapping ourselves around the patient rather than the patient wrapping themselves around us”.

The Bill will also cut layers of bureaucracy so more time and money can be spent on frontline services by formally transferring NHS England’s functions into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the wider system.

Local leaders have complained of ‘2 centres’, creating confusion and inertia, and – most importantly – diluting democratic accountability for the NHS.

Abolishing NHS England will reduce duplication and free up resources to be reinvested in the frontline, with less time spent on administration and more time focused on delivering care while putting patients’ voices at the heart of decision making.

The NHS Modernisation Bill second reading comes on the day the chair of NHS’s groundbreaking new online hospital trust has been named. NHS Online, which will provide virtual specialist care for patients through the NHS App and video consultations, has now been formally established as the Online NHS Trust with John Browett as the Chairman. 

Launching in 2027, NHS Online will be a new, optional online service allowing patients to digitally connect with clinicians across England. Doctors will be able to log in and help cut backlogs much more quickly and efficiently. It will deliver the equivalent of up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years – four times more than an average trust – cutting waiting times for patients and improving lives by speeding up access to expert care. 

This is further evidence of the government’s efforts to digitise the health service and bring it into the 21st century.

These developments follow the government hitting its interim target to cut the huge backlogs it inherited. The overall waiting list is at its lowest level in three and a half years, and that in March this year the waiting list fell by 110,000 – the largest improvement in performance for a single month in 17 years. 

More care is now available on people’s high streets, with over 100 community diagnostic centres now open at evenings and weekends. The government has recruited an extra 2,000 GPs and almost 8,700 additional mental health workers. GP satisfaction rates are up from 60% in July 2024 to 75% in March 2026, and online booking requests are now available for GP appointments to help end the 8am scramble. Ambulance response times for conditions like strokes and heart attacks are three minutes faster than last year, and NHS productivity is up 2.8%.

Dr Deb Gompertz, Honorary Secretary and Vice President for Policy at the British Geriatrics Society, said:

Older people are among the highest users of NHS services, often receiving care from multiple teams across hospitals, community services and primary care. Better sharing of information has the potential to improve continuity of care and reduce the burden on patients and carers having to repeat their history.

It supports safer, more joined-up, person-centred care for older people who often live with multiple long-term conditions, including frailty and dementia. 

The British Geriatrics Society welcomes steps to improve access to timely clinical information across the NHS, particularly where this helps clinicians make informed decisions and supports older people to remain independent for longer.

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

Patients to benefit from more services and treatments from their community pharmacy, as part of new deal.

• Patients will see quicker access to treatments at their local pharmacy, avoiding GP referrals under new agreement 
• Government to roll out NHS-funded Independent Prescribing, bringing more care closer to home, as part of £340 million deal 
• Qualified pharmacists will deliver more NHS care on the high street, expanding successful Pharmacy

Patients across England will benefit from more services, treatments and better access to medicines from their local pharmacy under a new £340 million government-funded deal.

Under the new contractual framework, pharmacists who hold an Independent Prescribing qualification will be able to assess patients and prescribe medicines directly, building on the success of the Pharmacy First service. This delivers on-the-spot care for common conditions and gives patients access to a wider range of medicines.

The changes, which will be rolled out from Autumn 2026, will reduce the number of referrals back to GPs, boosting efficiency and improving both patient experience and outcomes. It will also lessen the burden on hospitals, as patients will be able to receive further treatment for common conditions from a qualified pharmacist in their community – avoiding the need to go to an urgent treatment centre or A&E.

Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock said: 

Through our landmark 10 Year Health Plan, we are making the most of our highly skilled pharmacists, while boosting access to services and giving patients more care right on their doorstep.

Independent Prescribing will play a major part in delivering this shift – easing pressures on GPs, cutting unnecessary red tape and helping patients get the right care closer to home.

Dr Amanda Doyle, National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England said:

Community pharmacies already play a vital role in delivering NHS care closer to home, and this agreement will make it easier for patients to get advice, treatment, and medicines through their local pharmacy.

Expanding independent prescribing will help make better use of the clinical expertise within our community pharmacy teams, helping patients get the right care in the right place while helping reducing pressure on other NHS services.

Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England, David Webb said: 

This is great news for patients that community pharmacists will for the first time be able to prescribe NHS medicines across a range of health conditions as a nationally commissioned service.

I want to thank everyone involved in making possible this huge step towards a more effective use of our highly trained workforce in community pharmacy. Community pharmacies will be enabled to play a more integrated role in neighbourhood health teams, digitally connected and helping people access the medicines they need when they need them.

Over 3.3 million Pharmacy First consultations were delivered between March 2025 to February 2026, an increase of 43% on the previous 12 months. Almost nine in ten (86%) people using the service reported a positive experience of visiting their pharmacy for support for one of the seven common conditions covered by the service.

The £340 million funding package and rollout of Independent Prescribing has been agreed with Community Pharmacy England. 

Today’s announcement follows record investment over the past 2 years and a raft of measures to deliver more services to patients, including: 

• making the ‘morning-after pill’ available free of charge at pharmacies on the NHS for the first time ever, ending the postcode lottery women face in accessing the medicine and reducing inequalities 
• offering patients suffering depression convenient support at pharmacies when they are prescribed antidepressants, to boost mental health support in the community 
• cutting red tape and bureaucracy to give patients easier access to consultations, with more of the pharmacy team able to deliver a wider number of services such as medicines and prescriptions advice, Pharmacy First consultations for minor conditions, and carrying out blood pressure checks 
• boosting financial incentives for pharmacists to identify patients with undiagnosed high blood pressure. 
• boosting funding for medicine supply so patients have better access to the medicines prescribed for them.  

Janet Morrison OBE, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy England, said:  

We welcome the agreement reached for community pharmacies in 2026/27, which includes an important commitment to a programme of reform for the sector.  It also opens the door to pharmacist prescribing – a first step towards making fuller use of their clinical expertise.

We hope these changes, accompanied by appropriate future investment, will help pharmacies to play an even greater role in supporting patients, improving access to care, and helping people get the advice and treatment they need in their communities.

Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive, Company Chemists’ Association (CCA), said:

Today’s announcement recognises the longstanding and significant economic challenges facing the sector.

We welcome continued efforts to close the widely-acknowledged pharmacy funding gap.

Independent prescribing is a generational opportunity to expand the care that pharmacies can provide to patients. This announcement is the first step in realising this opportunity.

Under Pharmacy First, patients already have access to advice, over-the-counter treatments, and prescription only medicines under Patient Group Directions, which are the instructions for supplying or administering medicines. 

This includes a range of minor health conditions affecting the ears, nose, throat, eyes and skin, among others. It provides rapid access for patients on their high street whilst taking pressure off GPs. 

Community Pharmacies are crucial to the 10 Year Health Plan and shifting care out of hospital and into the community, as part of Neighbourhood Health Services. 

Independent Prescribing will be rolled out nationally from Autumn 2026.

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

Thousands of patients with painful joint and muscle conditions will receive employment support and treatment to tackle health-related economic inactivity.

• £3.2 million government investment to expand NHS programme that cut musculoskeletal (MSK) waiting lists by 20%
• England-wide rollout to drive improvements across the country and increase access to care
• Funding to ensure patients are offered employment support alongside treatment, tackling one of the UK’s leading causes of health-related economic inactivity

Thousands of people living with conditions like arthritis and back pain will receive faster care and help to get back to work thanks to the national rollout of a government pilot scheme.

Backed by more than £3 million of government funding, the expansion of NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) MSK Community Delivery Programme builds on a successful pilot, which cut 18-week waiting lists by 20% across 17 areas between December 2024 and March 2025.

The new funding will support MSK community appointment days – innovative one-day clinics that bring health specialists and mental health support and physical activity services together, allowing people to engage with multiple services in one visit. 

It will also support ‘super clinics’, which rapidly increase clinical capacity and provide one-to-one, in-depth clinical diagnostics and targeted treatments.

Funding will also be directed at areas with the greatest need to remove the current postcode lottery and improve local services where the need is greatest.

Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Sharon Hodgson, said:

I’m delighted to announce the national rollout of such a successful scheme, which will help address the unacceptably long waits for painful MSK conditions.

Patients are suffering, and so is the economy, which is why this government is taking a new approach to cutting waiting lists while supporting patients back into employment.

The NHS should drive economic growth, and by getting people with painful MSK conditions the care they need faster, they stand a better chance of getting a job and back to normal life.

The rollout will address the long waiting lists for community MSK care that this government inherited.

The scheme brings together health specialists, employment advisers and wider support services so patients can access everything they need in a single visit, rather than being forced to get support in different settings – often while dealing with excruciating pain.

MSK conditions affect nearly 18 million people in England and are among the leading causes of health-related economic inactivity in the UK, accounting for 100,000 people currently signed off work. More than half a million people who are currently economically inactive for health reasons report an MSK condition.

Crucially, the programme places a strong emphasis on helping people get back to work. The expansion will ensure that access to work and health support is woven into community MSK care as standard – not treated as an afterthought.

This supports the government’s efforts to boost economic activity.

Minister for Employment, Dame Diana Johnson MP, said:

No one should feel locked out of work because of a painful joint or muscle condition, and this investment will make a real difference to hundreds of thousands of people across England.

By ensuring MSK services direct people to employment support, we are making it easier for people to get well and get back to work, and the pilot results show this approach works.

Giving people the support they need to get into good, secure jobs is better for people who want to work, for business, and our economy – so that’s what this government is delivering.

The pilot, which began supporting 17 NHS areas in December 2024, demonstrated that faster, smarter, more effective community MSK care is achievable.

By working with health system leaders to use data, benchmark performance and trial new ways of working, participating areas saw long waits fall rapidly and significantly.

Innovative approaches tested during the pilot included digital tools to help patients manage their conditions remotely.

The new investment will now bring this approach to every corner of England.

Clinical leads will be appointed across all health systems to drive best practice, standardise the quality of care, and ensure patients are routinely connected to employment support alongside their treatment.

Professor Tim Briggs, National Director for Clinical Improvement and Elective Recovery at NHS England and Chair of the GIRFT programme, said:

It’s hugely encouraging to see this transformative initiative now being expanded across every health system in England after seeing waiting lists fall by 20% across 17 pilot areas in just a few months.

MSK conditions are one of the biggest drivers of sickness absence and economic inactivity, affecting around 17 million people nationwide. This rollout will help many more patients get faster access to high-quality care closer to home.

By bringing together clinical care, employment support and wider community services under one roof, the GIRFT programme is transforming how the NHS supports people – helping patients not only recover more quickly, but return to work, independence and everyday life.

Sue Hayward-Giles, Assistant Director of Practice and Development at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, said: 

We welcome this much-needed focus on MSK issues, which have often been overlooked in the past. 

Faster access to the expert assessment, diagnosis and treatment that physiotherapists and other key professionals provide will reduce waiting lists and help keep people in work – or help them return quickly – while reducing the impact on other parts of the system. 

If successful, this initiative is good news for patients and the NHS, and represents a long overdue recognition of the critical importance of addressing MSK health.

The rollout is part of the government’s broader mission to:

• shift more NHS care out of hospitals and into communities
• reduce waiting lists
• help more people live healthier, more productive lives

It sits alongside a wider package of employment support for people with health conditions as the government works to tackle economic inactivity and get Britain working.

Fergal Monsell, President, British Orthopaedic Association, said:  

Improving access to high-quality care for patients with MSK health issues is key to enabling people to return to work, caring responsibilities and regaining their independence.

Patients must be seen by the right clinician in the right place with pathways facilitating care by orthopaedic surgeons, first contact practitioners and other MSK specialists in the most appropriate settings.

Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive of Arthritis UK, said: 

Community MSK waiting lists are among the longest in the NHS, with people waiting far too long in pain for treatment. An injection of funding focused on reducing community waiting times is a welcome step forward for people living with arthritis and MSK conditions across England.

Access to timely, holistic treatment and care remains a barrier for many, negatively impacting their mental and physical health, their ability to work and to live their lives. Much of this care can and is being delivered in a community setting but we must do more to ensure equitable access.

We hope the announcement of clinical leadership in every local area will start to tackle the existing postcode lottery, but it is essential this is underpinned by a well-trained workforce and an ongoing commitment from government to meet the needs of people living with arthritis and MSK conditions.

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

Michelle Welsh MP appointed as the government’s first Maternity Advisor.

Women and families failed by maternity services will be better heard and their experiences will drive lasting improvements to care, as Michelle Welsh MP has been appointed as the government’s first Maternity Advisor.

Welsh will work directly with families, the government, the NHS and key maternity organisations to push for better, safer care for mothers, babies and families.

She will meet regularly with ministers to share evidence and advice, and work with families and communities to bring a wide range of voices into the heart of the government’s action to improve maternity services. There will be a special focus on those from communities that face the greatest health inequalities.

Health and Social Care Secretary James Murray said:

Far too many women and families have been let down by maternity services, and that must change.

Michelle Welsh brings exactly the commitment and expertise this role demands, and I know she will be a powerful champion for the women and families.

Today marks a significant step forward in our determination to make maternity care safer for every mother and baby in England.

Michelle Welsh, MP and Maternity Advisor said:

I am honoured to have been appointed as the National Maternity Advisor to the Government.

This role is deeply personal to me. Like far too many women across this country, I know what it feels like to come through childbirth carrying both physical and emotional scars. That experience has strengthened my determination to fight for safer, more compassionate maternity care for every family.

As National Maternity Advisor, I will work tirelessly to drive forward meaningful reform focused on safer staffing, stronger accountability, listening to women, tackling inequalities and ensuring lessons are learned when failures happen.

This is about rebuilding trust and creating a maternity system that is not only safer, but kinder too.

Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England, said:

I warmly welcome Michelle Welsh to this new role of Maternity Advisor and look forward to working together to improve maternity care across the country.

Michelle will be a fantastic advocate to ensure women’s experiences and voices are heard and help us continue to shine a light on and address the inequalities faced by mothers and babies from ethnic minorities.

Her appointment and the work of the taskforce will be vital to our drive to ensure that all women experience the best maternity care before, during and after their pregnancy.

Welsh brings both personal and professional experience to the role. As a harmed mother from Nottinghamshire, she has lived through the failures she is now fighting to fix.

As Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Maternity, Welsh has also spoken to thousands of other women and families across the country about their experiences and has been a tireless advocate for making maternity services safer, particularly for Black, Asian and minority women who face the greatest inequalities in care.

Welsh was also the first elected member in Nottinghamshire to call for an independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, in 2020.

Welsh will also sit as a member on the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce – set up to drive change in response to Baroness Amos’ independent investigation into maternity and neonatal care. Welsh will work closely with the Taskforce on the response and implementation of the actions from the investigation, expected in June.

Separately, the Taskforce has today published its Terms of Reference.

The Taskforce has two core jobs: developing a national action plan covering the full maternity journey, from pre-pregnancy through to postnatal and bereavement support, and holding the NHS to account for delivering real improvements for women, babies and families. A key focus will be closing the stark inequalities that mean Black and Asian women are significantly more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than white women.

Families and those with lived experience remain at the heart of the Taskforce’s work. This includes membership of the Expert Reference Groups announced today, which bring together families, clinicians, charities and academics to directly inform its decisions.

This builds on significant action the government has already taken since July 2024, including investing £149 million in maternity and neonatal facilities, and expanding mental health services and baby loss support for families.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 15 May 2026.

Safer and faster care for patients as NHS set to introduce Single Patient Record and cut bureaucracy

• NHS Modernisation Bill will introduce two big changes – joining up health information and abolishing NHS England
• Single Patient Record will mean NHS staff can see a patient’s full medical history and patients won’t have to repeat their story unnecessarily
• Legislation will enable power and resources to be put in the hands of frontline NHS organisations by scrapping world’s largest quango

Patients will receive safer, quicker and more accurate healthcare thanks to new legislation marking the next step in the government’s modernisation agenda.

The NHS Modernisation Bill brought forward today [Thursday 14 May] will introduce the Single Patient Record, allowing fragmented health information to be joined up around the country, and will cut layers of bureaucracy so more time and money can be spent on frontline services.

The Single Patient Record will mean all NHS providers – including hospitals and GPs – will have to share data so the right doctors, nurses and specialists across England can securely see a patient’s full medical history – no matter where they are treated. Clinicians will benefit from improved access to records as early as 2027 for specialities including maternity and frailty care.

For patients, this means they won’t have to repeat their story unnecessarily. It will result in safer, more coordinated care, with clinicians having the full picture when and where it’s needed. It will support better care closer to home – joining up community services and helping people manage their conditions.

Patients will also have more control over their care and transparency, with clear safeguards, audit trails, and choice over how their data is used.

For clinicians it means no more working with missing information or having to check in multiple places to find the same data, while it will mean greater efficiency and fewer costly mistakes for the NHS as a whole.

The Bill will also formally transfer NHS England’s functions into DHSC and the wider system, ensuring the NHS is there for patients when they need it, a better place for staff to work and better value for taxpayers.

Health Minister, Karin Smyth said: 

The NHS Modernisation Bill paves the way for the Single Patient Record, enabling patients to have real control over their care through a single, secure and authoritative account of their data for the first time ever.

It will be a gamechanger that means NHS staff can see patients’ medical records, allowing them to deliver better care faster and more conveniently, and even saving lives.

We will also strip back bureaucracy by abolishing NHS England, empowering frontline staff as part of our 10 Year Health Plan.

Patient groups and organisations across the country have been calling for the kind of change the Single Patient Record will deliver for more than a decade with Dr Michael Cocker, consultant obstetrician at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, saying it will “set a new benchmark” for maternity care in the NHS. 

Currently women are required to go through their entire medical history in a first appointment with a midwife, which is reliant on memory and can create gaps in information as they move through their pregnancy. The Single Patient Record will stop this issue at source, meaning clinicians can “provide safe care and personalised care”, he said.

Dr Maurice Cohen, consultant geriatrician at North Middlesex Hospital and Clinical Director at the London Frailty Network, said the Single Patient Record would mean the NHS is “wrapping ourselves around the patient rather than the patient wrapping themselves around us”.

The Bill will enable information related to a patient’s health and care to be processed for the purposes of establishing and operating the Single Patient Record but will be robust to the threat of data breaches with public and healthcare professionals consulted throughout its design.

Dr Alec Price-Forbes, National Chief Clinical Information Officer at NHS England, said:

The Single Patient Record will revolutionise patient care – giving all health and care professionals across the country a detailed record of a patient’s care in one place.

For too long, patient information has been held in silos, leading to patients having to repeat their story multiple times in different care settings, creating the potential for duplication or gaps in understanding by those treating them – and understandable frustrations and a poor experience for patients.

The Single Patient Record will be available to all health and care staff in real time, meaning patients get higher quality, safer, joined-up and more personalised care.

Robust protections will be built in, including different levels of access to reflect different needs and clear audit trails – ensuring the public can trust that their data is always secure.

Alongside enabling the Single Patient Record, the Bill (formally called the Health Bill) will reduce bureaucracy by simplifying the NHS structure, including formally transferring NHS England’s functions into DHSC and out to the wider system. 

Local leaders have complained of “two centres”, creating confusion and inertia, and – most importantly – diluting democratic accountability for the NHS.

Abolishing NHS England will reduce duplication and free up resources to be reinvested in the frontline, with less time spent on administration, and more time focused on delivering care.

Alongside this, changes will be made to streamline and strengthen the patient safety landscape, embed patient voices at the heart of national and local decision making and empower Integrated Care Boards and Foundation Trusts to deliver for patients. 

These changes put patients back at the heart of our health system, with clarified roles for local leaders, and decision making devolved to a local level, so those who truly understand the needs of their communities are trusted to shape and integrate services more effectively. 

Jacob Lant, Chief Executive at National Voices, said: 

Creating a single patient record across the NHS could be a game changer for patient safety and experience. Done well, it should reduce the burden on people having to repeat their story, help clinicians access the information they need, and support patients to feel that the NHS knows who they are and what matters to them. 

This is a significant opportunity to make better use of existing patient data to support high-quality clinical research and improved service design. But any use of data beyond direct care must have clear safeguards, transparent rules on who can access information and why, and meaningful ways for people to exercise their rights.

It is therefore absolutely right that the creation of the single patient record is set out in the NHS Modernisation Bill, which means — unlike previous NHS data sharing plans — this move can be properly scrutinised by Parliament, providing the transparency and accountability needed to build public confidence and trust.

Dr Jeanette Dickson, Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges said:  

The Bill finally delivers the possibility of a joined-up, comprehensive single patient record which will not only improve patient safety but also patient experience by enabling clinicians to access patients’ records, wherever the patient is. No more repeating the same story every time you go to a hospital or GP and no need to repeat tests because the doctor ‘can’t see’ the result.  

An added bonus is the positive impact on doctors working lives, as well as more rapid patient flow through the system. The Bill rightly tries to make new technologies work for patients, but we must be sure this does not increase health inequalities by further excluding those who are digitally impoverished.