Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 1 March 2025.

Thousands of frontline NHS staff to benefit from a free rehabilitation programme with Nuffield Health to get them back to work.

• The partnership will support thousands of NHS workers suffering from chronic joint conditions like arthritis or back pain
• Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are second leading cause of absence among NHS staff and this initiative will help them regain quality of life
• Programme will help deliver Plan for Change’s ambition to build an NHS fit for the future and shift healthcare from hospitals to community

Four thousand frontline NHS staff will benefit from a free rehabilitation programme Nuffield Health are rolling out in partnership with the government to get them back to work, the Health and Social Care Secretary announced today.

Nuffield Health’s Joint Pain Programme will support NHS workers with chronic and long-term joint conditions like arthritis, helping them regain their quality of life and focus on bringing down waiting lists.

It will work with NHS teams to identity staff suitable for the programme and initially offer it at 10 trusts in London, Birmingham and the North West before a national rollout later this year.

MSK conditions are the second leading cause of absence among NHS staff and this groundbreaking partnership will help them recover and focus on supporting patients.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said:

NHS staff cannot treat patients if they’re in debilitating pain themselves.

This partnership with Nuffield Health will help get thousands of NHS staff back to work, improve their quality of life and allow them to continue to cut waiting lists.

We’ll care for them so they can care for us and deliver our Plan for Change’s goal to build an NHS fit for the future.

Alex Perry, CEO, Nuffield Health said:

Nuffield Health’s mission is to build a healthier nation and our free-to-access Joint Pain Programme is a key part of that. This unique programme has helped over 35,000 people to date improve their health and quality of life.

By offering this free programme directly to NHS staff – including nurses, porters and paramedics – we are providing them with support to recover, return to work and continue delivering essential care.

This not only improves their health but also reduces pressure on the NHS by lowering sickness absence and keeping skilled staff where they are needed most.

In August 2024, more than 2 million days were lost due to NHS staff sickness.

Back and MSK problems led to over 314,000 lost days and over 10,000 members of staff off work.

Nuffield Health’s programme has already benefitted 35,000 people and participants experienced 35% improvement in joint pain and 37% improvement in joint function after taking part in 2024.

On top of this, it prevented 86,226 sick days and resulted in a 29% reduction in GP appointments in 2024.

The programme will deliver the Plan for Change’s ambition to build an NHS fit for the future as part of a decade of national renewal.

It provides 12 weeks of exercise and support led by a personal trainer who has been upskilled to deliver rehabilitation programmes, followed by 12 weeks of access to Nuffield Health fitness facilities – all at no cost.

It will help keep NHS staff healthy and fulfil one of the 10 Year Health Plan’s key ambitions of shifting care from hospital into the community.

Keeping more NHS staff at work will boost productivity – ensuring they can focus on delivering the highest-quality care for patients and continue to cut waiting lists.

Between July and November last year, the NHS carried out almost 2.2 million more elective care appointments compared to the same period the previous year – delivering on the government’s mission to fix the NHS.

The government reached the target 7 months earlier than promised – with 100,000 more treatments, tests and scans for patients each week, and more than half a million extra diagnostic tests delivered.

It follows figures published this month which showed the waiting list has been cut by almost 160,000 since the government took office, compared to a rise of almost 33,000 over the same period the previous year.

The Health and Social Care Secretary announced the partnership at an event attended by 100 NHS staff in Peterborough earlier this week to gather their views on how to fix the health service.

The public engagement event will help shape the government’s 10 Year Health Plan and forms part of a nationwide series of debates about how to make the NHS fit for the future.

Ministers and NHS clinicians have carried out engagement events with NHS workers throughout this month – while thousands of NHS staff and the wider public have already submitted a range of ideas on Change NHS. These ideas will inform the government’s Plan for Change, which will drive a decade of national renewal and transform the health service.

A new survey was recently launched on Change NHS, focusing on patient choice, how to support staff to care for patients and using technology to improve people’s experiences of the NHS.

Further information

Find out more on the Nuffield Health website or on their Instagram and LinkedIn pages.

The Joint Pain Programme will be available to NHS staff in the following Nuffield Health locations:

• Wandsworth
• Wandsworth Southside
• City
• Covent Garden
• Shoreditch
• Paddington
• Battersea
• Chiselhurst
• Fulham
• Wimbledon
• Twickenham
• Brondesbury Park
• Stoke Poges
• Friern Barnet Hendon
• Birmingham Central
• Preston
• Bolton

The press release issued by the Department for Health and Social Care on 28 February 2025.

GP contract reforms will ‘fix the front door’ of the NHS and see the return of the family doctor, while helping to end the ‘8am scramble’ for appointments.

• Biggest doctors’ union backs new government deal with GPs to ‘fix the front door’ of the NHS to make it easier for patients to book appointments and bring back the family doctor
• Slashing red tape and cutting box-ticking targets will free up GPs and take the first steps to end the ‘8am scramble’ for appointments
• Reforms will be backed by increased funding to reverse years of underinvestment in general practice
• Agreement with the British Medical Association (BMA) on the GP contract for the first time in 4 years is a reset of relations after recent collective action that has blighted the health service

For the first time in 4 years, government and GP representatives have agreed reforms to GP contracts, to fix the front door of the NHS and bring back the family doctor, which was identified as a priority by the Health and Social Care Secretary when he first joined the department.

The new deal agreed yesterday (27 February 2025) between the government and the BMA will free up doctors from red tape and box-ticking targets to concentrate on what they do best – treating patients.

The new agreed contract will modernise general practice by requiring GP surgeries to allow patients to request appointments online throughout working hours from October, freeing up the phones for those who need them most and making it easier for practices to triage patients based on medical need. The reforms are part of the government’s Plan for Change to make general practice fit for the future and will support GPs in taking the first steps to end the 8am scramble for appointments, which so many patients currently endure every day – in turn improving access to GPs for everyone.

The deal for family doctors is backed by the biggest funding boost for general practice in years, reversing the decade-long cuts to general practice funding as a share of the NHS budget.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said:

Rebuilding the broken NHS starts with GPs. Patients need to be able to easily book an appointment, in the manner they want, with their regular doctor if they choose.

Today, we have taken the first step to fixing the front door to the NHS, bringing back the family doctor, and ending the 8am scramble.

Over the past decade, funding for GPs has been cut relative to the rest of the NHS, while the number of targets for GPs has soared. That’s why patients are struggling to get an appointment.

This government is cutting the red tape that ties up GPs’ time and backing them with an extra £889 million next year. In return, more patients will be able to request appointments online and see their regular doctor for each appointment. Through the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, we will work with GPs to rebuild the NHS and make it fit for the future.

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

Improving patients’ access to general practice is a huge priority for the NHS and this contract sets out the next steps to put the family doctor at the heart of the shift to a neighbourhood health service.

This is the first time in 4 years that the GP contract has been accepted as proposed and I hope it will be seen as positive for practices, GP teams and patients when introduced in April.

It shows how NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care have listened and delivered on the priorities that matter most to patients and general practice teams, including a significant increase in funding and extra flexibility in the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme to recruit more staff including GPs.

Other key changes include improved digital access for patients, setting out what patients can expect from their practice in a new charter and encouraging GP teams to identify patients with the greatest need that would most benefit from seeing the same clinician at every appointment.

Today’s reforms will be underpinned by an extra £889 million to fix the front door of health, bringing total spend on the GPs contract to £13.2 billion in 2025 to 2026.

The 7.2% boost to the GP contract is faster than the 5.8% growth to the NHS budget as a whole, helping to reverse the decade long trend of GP practices receiving an ever-decreasing percentage of NHS funding and supporting the shift from hospital to community. Lord Darzi found that the share of the health service’s budget dedicated to primary care had fallen by a quarter between 2009 and 2021.

Burdensome red tape on GPs will be reduced by scrapping unnecessary targets like those requiring practices to report on staff wellbeing meetings or to explain how they are reviewing staff access to IT systems. Under the new GP contract, nearly half of the targets (32 of 76) that GPs must report their progress against will be removed. The reforms will free up GPs from pointless box-ticking, so they can spend more time treating patients and delivering the government’s promise to bring back the family doctor.

In addition to patients being able to request GP appointments online, they will also gain clearer information about the care they can expect to receive through the online patient charter – including the services available to them – along with more consistent care as the government introduces measures to bring back the family doctor. To make sure those most in need are prioritised, GPs will be incentivised to identify patients who would benefit most from seeing the same GP at every appointment, so more patients see their regular doctor each appointment.

As part of the government’s plan to cut waiting lists, announced earlier this year as part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, GPs will be encouraged to seek specialist advice and guidance when unsure about making a referral to hospital. Up to £80 million of funding will be made available for doctors to liaise with specialist consultants, which can avoid people being added onto waiting lists unnecessarily and speed up patient care.

A majority of respondents to the government’s Change NHS online portal have stated fixing difficulties in accessing primary care as a top 3 priority, and a recent poll by the Health Foundation claims it is the number one health concern for 38% of the public.

As part of ongoing efforts to rebuild relationships with NHS staff following years of underfunding and neglect, the government and the BMA engaged in constructive discussions which have led to the BMA’s general practice committee voting in favour of the proposed GP contract. All parties have worked together to find a fair deal for hardworking NHS staff, but also one that acknowledges the wider economic pressures facing the UK and the need to continue to bring down inflation.

By fixing the front door of the NHS, these reforms will also ease pressures on other parts of the health service including A&E.

The reforms form part of the government’s Plan for Change, which will deliver our mission to build an NHS fit for the future, starting with tackling waiting lists. It will also drive progress on making sure fewer lives are lost to the biggest killers by making sure people are diagnosed and treated earlier. Underpinning this work are 3 big reform shifts, from:

• hospital to community – bringing care closer to where people live, including through a new neighbourhood health service to deliver more proactive and personalised care
• analogue to digital – by rolling out new technologies and digital approaches to modernise the NHS
• sickness to prevention – shortening the amount of time people spend in ill-health by preventing illnesses before they happen

This landmark agreement – the first contract agreement reached in 4 years – represents a step change in relations with NHS staff to help ease workloads for GPs while providing better services to patients, as we rebuild the NHS.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 26 February 2025.

The government has confirmed the release of £25 million for upgrades and refurbishments today for hospices across England.

• An additional £75 million will be available from April as part of the largest investment in hospices in a generation
• The funding will modernise facilities, improve IT systems and ensure patients receive the highest quality care

Families across England will start to see improved end-of-life care as the government brings in major upgrades to hospice services nationwide.

New investments in hospices will make sure people receive compassionate care in comfortable, dignified surroundings during their most vulnerable moments by:

• creating outdoor gardens where memories can be shared
• upgrading patient rooms, so they feel more like home

Every change is focused on supporting families when they need it most.

The improvements will help ensure that, during life’s most challenging moments, patients and their loved ones receive the highest-quality care in the most appropriate and comfortable settings.

Hospices will begin receiving £25 million for facility upgrades and refurbishments from today as part of the biggest investment into hospices in a generation.

The cash will be distributed immediately for the 2024 to 2025 financial year, with a further £75 million to follow from April. More than 170 hospices across the country will receive funding, including those run by Marie Curie and Sue Ryder, as well as independent hospices like Zoe’s Place in Liverpool.

This cash forms a key part of the government’s Plan for Change, improving care in the community where people need it most.

Minister for Care, Stephen Kinnock said:

This is the largest investment in a generation to help transform hospice facilities across England. From upgrading patient rooms to improving gardens and outdoor spaces, this funding will make a real difference to people at the end of their lives.

Hospices provide invaluable care and support when people need it most and this funding boost will ensure they are able to continue delivering exceptional care in better, modernised facilities.

The immediate cash injection, allocated through Hospice UK from the Department of Health and Social Care, will enable hospices to:

• purchase essential new medical equipment
• undertake building refurbishments
• improve technology
• upgrade facilities for patients and families
• implement energy-efficiency measures

The larger £75 million investment will support more substantial capital projects, including major building works and facility modernisation, throughout the next financial year.

Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK, said:

The announcement before Christmas of £100 million of additional funding for hospices in England was a significant boost, and today’s news of the allocation of the first £25 million of this funding will be a huge relief for our members.

Several years of rapidly rising costs have curtailed the extent to which hospices have been able to invest in their infrastructure for the longer term. This additional support will enable them to do so – and relieve the immediate pressures on hospice finances.

The hospice sector is ready to support the government’s ambition to shift more care into the community. This couldn’t be more important for people approaching the end of life, when it’s vital to have the right care, in the right place.

The greater stability provided by the government’s funding injection this year and next gives us a golden opportunity to now reform the palliative and end of life care system, so it’s fit for the future.

Nick Carroll, Chief Executive of children’s palliative care charity Together for Short Lives, said:

We’re really pleased that the Department of Health and Social Care has moved quickly to finalise the details of this much-needed funding and ensure it is ready for distribution.

We know that children’s hospices across England face an increasingly challenging funding landscape, with costs continuing to rise significantly. This investment will help children’s hospices continue to deliver essential care for seriously ill children and their families across England.

A key focus of the investment will be digital transformation, enabling hospices to modernise their IT systems and improve data sharing between healthcare providers. The funding will also support the development of outreach services, allowing hospices to extend their care beyond their physical buildings. This includes investing in mobile equipment and technology that will help support people who wish to receive end-of-life care in their own homes.

Creating more welcoming spaces for families is another priority, with funding allocated for the renovation of family rooms and outdoor areas. These improvements will provide peaceful, comfortable spaces where families can spend precious time with their loved ones during difficult periods.

The funding forms part of the government’s commitment to improving end-of-life care services across England, so hospices can continue providing exceptional care in the best possible environments.

It also supports the government’s ambitions in the 10 Year Health Plan to shift healthcare out of hospitals into the community and from analogue to digital, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting.

Further information

Hospice UK is managing the distribution without charging administration fees.

Breakdown of funding

Hospice	Amount (£)
Acorns Children’s Hospice Trust	302,003
Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service	47,956
Arthur Rank Hospice Charity	235,374
Ashgate Hospicecare	211,820
Barnsley Hospice	80,039
Bassetlaw Hospice	7,274
Beaumond House Community Hospice	32,852
Birmingham (adjusted for 12 months)	345,224
Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice	73,256
Blythe House Hospice	39,958
Bolton Hospice	107,466
Bury Hospice	61,674
Butterfly Hospice	12,215
Butterwick Hospice Limited	60,656
Campden Home Nursing	23,060
Children’s Hospice South West	275,928
Claire House Children’s Hospice	172,160
Community Hospice for Greenwich and Bexley	231,143
Compton Hospice	217,778
Cornwall Hospice Care	161,125
Demelza Hospice Care for Children – Demelza Kent	242,135
Derian House Children’s Hospice	115,875
Dorothy House Hospice Care	297,862
Douglas Macmillan Hospice	328,758
Dove Cottage Day Hospice	9,309
Dove House Hospice	111,822
Dr Kershaw’s Hospice	92,588
Earl Mountbatten Hospice	332,433
East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices	222,453
East Cheshire Hospice	130,738
East Lancashire Hospice	85,513
Eden Valley Hospice	92,849
Ellenor	137,518
Farleigh Hospice	268,268
Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice	75,232
Francis House Children’s Hospice	152,127
Garden House Hospice	124,170
Great Oaks, Dean Forest Hospice	25,137
Halton Haven Hospice	55,394
Harlington Hospice Association	116,191
Hartlepool and District Hospice	60,881
Haven House Children’s Hospice	88,446
Havens Hospices	261,310
Heart of Kent Hospice	97,348
Helen and Douglas House	136,890
Hope House Children’s Hospices (Hope House)	144,966
Hospice at Home West Cumbria	33,871
Hospice at Home, Carlisle and North Lakeland	31,287
Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle	95,256
Hospice in the Weald	199,653
Hospice of St Francis (Berkhamsted)	121,619
Hospice of the Good Shepherd	81,185
HospiceCare North Northumberland	18,653
Hospiscare (Exeter)	180,911
Isabel Hospice	120,401
Jessie May	22,929
John Eastwood Hospice	12,573
Julia’s House Ltd	131,315
Kate’s Home Nursing	8,843
Katharine House Hospice (Banbury)	35,454
Katharine House Hospice (Stafford)	97,658
Keech Hospice Care	189,753
Kemp Hospice Trust	21,942
Kirkwood Hospice	160,020
Lakelands Hospice	9,251
Lawrence Home Nursing	9,586
Lewis-Manning Hospice	49,050
Lindsey Lodge Hospice	78,577
Longfield	50,229
LOROS Leicestershire and Rutland Hospice	302,751
Marie Curie (unadjusted)	1,250,000
Martin House Children’s Hospice	148,596
Mary Ann Evans Hospice	37,177
Mary Stevens Hospice	83,256
Naomi House and Jacksplace Children’s Hospice	122,736
Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice	114,605
North Devon Hospice	104,128
North London Hospice	283,640
Nottinghamshire Hospice	72,123
Oakhaven Hospice	157,402
Overgate Hospice	85,938
Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice	280,455
Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent, Canterbury	290,911
Primrose Hospice	29,035
Princess Alice Hospice	264,319
Priscilla Bacon	3,958
Prospect Hospice	127,153
Queenscourt Hospice	137,157
Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People	145,128
Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care	278,579
Richard House Children’s Hospice	85,846
Rosemary Foundation – Hospice at Home	17,247
Rossendale Hospice	25,229
Rotherham Hospice	121,115
Rowcroft – The Torbay and South Devon Hospice	158,301
Royal Trinity Hospice	318,609
Saint Catherine’s Hospice (Scarborough)	104,720
Saint Francis Hospice	191,131
Saint Michael’s Hospice (Harrogate)	140,243
Severn Hospice	229,964
Shipston Home Nursing	10,206
Shooting Star CHASE	169,787
Sidmouth Hospice at Home	16,934
Sobell House Hospice	78,633
South Bucks Hospice	19,251
Springhill Hospice	111,983
St Andrew’s Hospice (Grimsby)	92,589
St Ann’s Hospice (Cheadle, Cheshire)	228,447
St Barnabas Hospices (Sussex)	368,232
St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice	236,601
St Catherine’s Hospice (Crawley)	203,142
St Catherine’s Hospice (Lancashire)	166,720
St Christopher’s Hospice	526,754
St Clare Hospice (West Essex)	144,945
St Cuthbert’s Hospice	68,486
St Elizabeth Hospice	239,262
St Gemma’s Hospice	225,450
St Giles Hospice	213,793
St Helena Hospice	237,083
St John’s Hospice, Lancaster	126,624
St Johns, London	147,500
St Joseph’s Hospice Association	66,973
St Joseph’s Hospice, Hackney	313,531
St Leonard’s Hospice	144,606
St Luke’s (Cheshire) Hospice	84,318
St Luke’s Hospice (Basildon)	256,843
St Luke’s Hospice (Harrow and Brent)	129,220
St Luke’s Hospice (Sheffield)	223,481
St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth	176,616
St Margaret’s Hospice – Somerset	204,046
St Mary’s Hospice	86,382
St Michael’s Hospice (Hereford)	166,755
St Michael’s Hospice (North Hampshire) Basingstoke	86,086
St Michael’s Hospice, Hastings	146,943
St Nicholas Hospice Care	97,852
St Oswald’s Hospice	252,524
St Peter and St James Hospice and Continuing Care Centre	78,032
St Peter’s Hospice (Bristol)	251,252
St Raphael’s Hospice	131,769
St Richard’s Hospice (Worcester)	172,108
St Rocco’s Hospice	88,421
St Teresa’s Hospice	76,912
St Wilfrid’s Hospice (Eastbourne)	179,191
St Wilfrid’s Hospice (south coast) – Chichester	141,670
Sue Ryder (unadjusted)	1,250,000
Teesside Hospice Care Foundation	74,899
Thames Hospice	224,843
The Martlets Hospice	253,129
The Myton Hospices	223,905
The Norfolk Hospice, Tapping House	81,531
The Prince of Wales Hospice	70,669
The Rowans Hospice	171,289
The Shakespeare Hospice	32,216
Treetops Hospice Care	65,496
Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services	205,071
Tynedale Hospice at Home	16,145
Wakefield Hospice	78,381
Weldmar Hospicecare Trust	177,100
Weston Hospicecare	71,633
Wigan and Leigh Hospice	123,224
Willen Hospice	143,687
Willow Burn Hospice	24,014
Willow Wood Hospice	60,478
Willowbrook Hospice	99,908
Wirral Hospice St John’s	131,516
Woking Hospice	160,768
Woodlands Hospice	20,172
Zoe’s Place – Baby Hospice	75,336

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 21 February 2025.

Government delivers on its manifesto commitment to roll out extra urgent appointments across the country.

• Government delivers on its manifesto commitment to roll out extra urgent appointments across the country
• ‘Dental deserts’ where patients struggle to get appointments targeted
• Plans mark first step towards rebuilding NHS dentistry – with government also set to deliver supervised toothbrushing to improve children’s oral health

Hundreds of thousands of people across England will soon be able to access urgent and emergency dental care as the government and NHS rolls out 700,000 extra urgent appointments, Health Minister Stephen Kinnock announced today (21 February 2025).

Delivering on the government’s manifesto pledge, NHS England has today written to integrated care boards (ICBs) across the country, directing health chiefs in each region to stand up thousands of urgent appointments over the next year.

Access to NHS dentistry is increasingly a lottery across the country. Statistics from the GP Patient Survey 2024 show that around 1 in 4 patients who tried to see an NHS dentist in the past 2 years were unable to do so.

This has led to desperate scenes across the country, such as at St Paul’s Dental Practice in Bristol, where hundreds of patients gathered outside in the hope of seeing an NHS dentist and police had to intervene to manage the queue when the practice re-opened in February 2024.

Previous interventions have failed to address the crisis in NHS dentistry. For example, the new patient premium – introduced as part of the dental recovery plan published in 2024 – revealed to have cost £88 million but with no impact for patients.

Data published last week showed the number of new patients accessing NHS dentists has actually fallen by 3% since the scheme was introduced.

This government has confirmed it will be scrapping the new patient premium, and today sees it already begin the work of rolling out new appointments across the country.

As part of the government’s manifesto commitment, the extra appointments will be available from April and have been targeted at dental deserts – areas where patients particularly struggle to access NHS dentists. This includes parts of the east of England, such as Norfolk and Waveney, where there are just 31 NHS dentists respectively for every 100,000 people – way below the national average.

The announcement marks the start of the government and NHS delivering on the manifesto pledge to provide 700,000 extra urgent and emergency dental appointments to address the crisis in NHS dentistry.

Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care, said:

We promised we would end the misery faced by hundreds of thousands of people unable to get urgent dental care. Today we’re starting to deliver on that commitment.

NHS dentistry has been left broken after years of neglect, with patients left in pain without appointments, or queueing around the block just to be seen.

Through our Plan for Change, this government will rebuild dentistry – focusing on prevention, retention of NHS dentists and reforming the NHS contract to make NHS work more appealing to dentists and increase capacity for more patients. This will take time, but today marks an important step towards getting NHS dentistry back on its feet.

Each ICB has a target of urgent appointments to roll out, based on estimated local levels of unmet need for urgent NHS care. Levels of unmet need are calculated by measures including looking at how many people tried and failed to get an NHS dentist appointment.

These extra appointments will be for patients who are likely to be in pain – including those suffering from infections or needing urgent repairs to a bridge – and require urgent treatment. NHS commissioners will be working fast to secure these extra appointments this year, with appointments to start coming online from April. Patients will be able to access these appointments by contacting their usual dental practice or calling NHS 111 if they do not have a regular dentist or need help out of hours.

The plans are the first step towards securing more urgent care for patients over the longer term and will allow for a more fundamental reform of urgent dental care provision.

Jason Wong, Chief Dental Officer for England, said:

Dentists are working hard to help as many patients as possible but too many people experience difficulties in accessing NHS dental services.

It is vital that we do more to improve access – we are working with local systems to prioritise this, which includes providing 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments to help make it quicker and easier for those most in need to be seen and treated on the NHS and we are incentivising dentists to work in underserved areas so that all areas of the country can receive the care they need.

After inheriting an NHS dental sector in crisis, the government is acting now to make it fit for the future, following years of neglect and unsuccessful interventions.

A recent report by the National Audit Office found that access to NHS dentistry remains below pre-pandemic levels, with the previous administration’s dental recovery plan not on course to deliver its target of 1.5 million extra treatments by the end of 2024 to 2025.

Children’s oral health is also in crisis, with tooth decay being the number one reason that children aged 5 to 9 years old are admitted to hospital. More than a fifth of 5-year-old school children have signs of dental decay, according to data published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities last week.

The data also showed stark regional inequalities in terms of good oral health – with areas of high deprivation having rates of tooth decay more than double that of wealthier areas. For example, almost 1 in 3 children (32.2%) living in Merseyside showed signs of decay, compared to just 13.6% of kids in Gloucestershire.

To tackle this, the government will introduce a new supervised toothbrushing scheme for 3 to 5 year olds – which is aimed at providing advice and tooth brushing guidance in the school setting to children living in the most deprived areas in England, as well as providing toothbrushes and toothpaste.

The government is also recruiting new dentists to areas that need them most and will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focusing on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists. This includes the golden hello bonus incentive payment of £20,000, which is being offered per dentist for up to 240 dentists who agree to work in areas of the country that have traditionally been hard to recruit to. Until July, none of the 240 roles had been filled, but the government has since delivered 68 posts, with more to come.

Jacob Lant, Chief Executive of National Voices, said:

NHS dentistry has been left in a sorry state, with far too many people experiencing pain and discomfort because they can’t access basic care.

These extra urgent appointments will be welcome and are a helpful first step, but fixing the nation’s oral health crisis will require a sustained effort.

We now need local NHS leaders to work creatively to ensure available capacity is targeting those most in need, whether treating an infected tooth or ensuring cancer and transplant patients get the dental check-ups they need before starting treatment.

Urgent care appointments to be delivered by individual integrated care boards

Region	ICB	Additional urgent care appointments to be purchased
East of England	Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB	6,041
East of England	Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB	14,195
East of England	Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB	5,712
East of England	Mid and South Essex ICB	6,098
East of England	Norfolk and Waveney ICB	21,520
East of England	Suffolk and North East Essex ICB	15,413
London	North Central London ICB	8,976
London	North East London ICB	17,452
London	North West London ICB	11,445
London	South East London ICB	8,616
London	South West London ICB	6,402
Midlands	Birmingham and Solihull ICB	9,005
Midlands	Black Country ICB	14,473
Midlands	Coventry and Warwickshire ICB	2,740
Midlands	Derby and Derbyshire ICB	16,298
Midlands	Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB	12,970
Midlands	Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB	10,137
Midlands	Lincolnshire ICB	12,017
Midlands	Northamptonshire ICB	17,826
Midlands	Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB	24,360
Midlands	Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB	7,408
Midlands	Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB	16,190
North East and Yorkshire	Humber and North Yorkshire ICB	27,196
North East and Yorkshire	North East and North Cumbria ICB	57,559
North East and Yorkshire	South Yorkshire ICB	19,983
North East and Yorkshire	West Yorkshire ICB	32,312
North West	Cheshire and Merseyside ICB	46,617
North West	Greater Manchester ICB	17,897
North West	Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB	20,822
South East	Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB	15,454
South East	Frimley ICB	6,626
South East	Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB	30,032
South East	Kent and Medway ICB	20,319
South East	Surrey Heartlands ICB	6,585
South East	Sussex ICB	26,546
South West	Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB	13,990
South West	Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB	19,076
South West	Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly ICB	10,910
South West	Devon ICB	24,269
South West	Dorset ICB	13,569
South West	Gloucestershire ICB	11,464
South West	Somerset ICB	13,498

Total additional appointments, England: 700,018.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 19 February 2025.

Landmark study to investigate long-term health effects of vaping on young people’s health and wellbeing, alongside wider influences on adolescent health.

Groundbreaking research will investigate the long-term health effects of vaping on children, supporting major plans to tackle youth vaping and create a smoke-free generation.

The £62 million research project into adolescent health, funded by UK Research and Innovation, will track 100,000 young people aged 8 to 18 years over a decade, collecting data on behaviour, biology and health records to understand what affects young people’s health and wellbeing, including the impact of vaping.

While vaping is less harmful than smoking and can be a useful tool to help adult smokers quit, youth vaping has skyrocketed in recent years, with a quarter of 11 to 15 year olds having tried it.

The research coincides with the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will clamp down on youth vaping by limiting flavours, packaging and displays deliberately designed to appeal to children.

The study is one of 3 sets of research being commissioned by the government, alongside the launch of England’s first ever public health marketing campaign to educate children on vaping harms.

The long-term health impacts of youth vaping are not fully known, and this comprehensive approach will provide the most detailed picture yet, giving health carers and policymakers the robust evidence they need to protect the next generation from the potential health risks.

Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Ashley Dalton, said:

We know that vaping can be a useful tool to quit smoking, but it’s crucial we have clear evidence on the long-term health harms, especially for young people.

This landmark series of studies, combined with our first nationwide youth vaping campaign, will help drive evidence-based, decisive action to protect our children’s future.

Through bold preventative measures, such as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, this government will deliver on our Plan for Change to build healthier lives and save our broken NHS.

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

With vaping on the rise among young people, it is crucial that we develop a solid evidence base to better understand its health impacts, and help ensure we protect and support the next generation.

By investing in important research such as this we give young people, parents, and policymakers the knowledge they need to make informed decisions and safeguard long-term health.

Sarah Sleet, Chief Executive at Asthma + Lung UK, said:

The number of non-smokers, particularly young people, taking up vaping is extremely worrying. The long-term impact of vaping on the lungs isn’t yet known, so research into its effect on young people, is really important.

It is already known that vaping can cause inflammation in the airways, and people with asthma have told us that vapes can trigger their condition. Vaping could put developing lungs at risk, while exposure to nicotine – also contained in vapes – can damage developing brains. This is why young people should be stopped from taking up vaping in the first place.

The upcoming legislation, restricting vape flavours and packaging that appeal directly to young people, is an important step in tackling youth vaping along with a ban on cheap disposable vapes. Alongside this, arming young people with the facts about the dangers of vaping and how it affects their health with campaigns like Love Your Lungs, is absolutely vital.

Funded through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the second set of groundbreaking research will see University College London produce yearly updates capturing the latest vaping research from both the UK and international sources.

Separately, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine will conduct the most comprehensive analysis of youth vaping studies to date, also funded by NIHR.

These landmark studies will ensure healthcare workers can be kept at the cutting edge of the latest evidence and insights.

At the same time, the government is rolling out its first-ever nationwide campaign to inform young people about the hidden health dangers of vaping.

The campaign, Love Your Lungs, exposes the harms of vaping and nicotine addiction, highlighting that with their lungs and brains still developing, young people are more vulnerable to health risks.

Aimed at 13 to 18 year olds, the campaign will roll out primarily on social media, using influencers to speak directly to its younger audience.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which contains ambitious plans to protect children from vaping, is currently making its way through Parliament. The Bill will also introduce a ban on the advertising and sponsorship of vapes and bolster enforcement to prevent underage and illicit sales.

From 1 June 2025, under separate environmental legislation, disposable vapes will be banned, reducing the availability and appeal of vapes to young people.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill forms part of the government’s Plan for Change, focusing on the crucial role prevention can take in cutting waiting lists and making the NHS fit for future.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 13 February 2025.

Nearly 700,000 women across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how AI tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier.

• Cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) trial to transform cancer care, helping radiologists catch breast cancer earlier
• Trial announced this World Cancer Day, as government launches ‘call for evidence’ to shape new plan to cut lives lost to cancer
• Plan for Change will put UK on the front foot, unleashing AI to drive up health services and shift NHS from analogue to digital as part of 10 Year Health Plan

Nearly 700,000 women across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge AI tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier, the Department of Health and Social Care announced today (4 February 2025).

As government ramps up the use of new technology across the board, 30 testing sites across the country will be enhanced with the latest digital AI technologies, ready to invite women already booked in for routine screenings on the NHS to take part. The technology will assist radiologists, screening patients to identify changes in breast tissue that show possible signs of cancer and refer them for further investigations if required.

Currently, 2 specialists are needed per mammogram screening. This technology enables just one to complete the same mammogram screening process safely and efficiently. If the trial is successful, it could free up hundreds of radiologists and other specialists across the country to see more patients, tackle rising cancer rates, save more lives and cut waiting lists.

The EDITH trial (Early Detection using Information Technology in Health) is backed by £11 million of government support via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It is the latest example of how British scientists are transforming cancer care, building on the promising potential of cutting-edge innovations to tackle one of the UK’s biggest killers.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, with around 55,000 people being diagnosed with the disease every year. Currently, women between the ages of 50 and 71 are invited to be screened every 3 years to help detect cases. This equates to around 2.1 million breast cancer screens carried out by the programme annually, helping to prevent around 1,300 deaths.

The launch of the trial comes as cancer experts, people living with cancer and medical professionals are invited to help shape the development of a new national cancer plan through the launch of a call for evidence, being announced later today by the Health and Social Care Secretary at an event hosted by Macmillan Cancer Support to mark World Cancer Day.

Every 4 minutes, someone in the UK dies from cancer and Lord Darzi’s recent independent investigation into the NHS found that cancer survival in this country is worse for some cancers than some similar nations.

The new plan to fight one of the UK’s major conditions could help transform the way we treat cancer, making the UK a world leader in cancer survival by fighting the disease on all fronts, through improving research, diagnosis, screening, treatment and prevention. This includes investing in the latest technologies to address rising cancer cases, recognising the vital role they’ll play in tackling the disease.

This government is taking the necessary steps to ensure that NHS patients will be among the first to benefit from cutting-edge medical innovations, such as the technology being tested in the EDITH trial, catapulting the service from analogue to digital to cut waiting lists and make it fit for the future, as set out in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.

Members of the public, as well as NHS staff and experts, have already been invited to share their experiences, views and ideas for fixing the NHS via the Change NHS online platform, which will help shape the government’s 10 Year Health Plan. The results of this consultation will support the development of the national cancer plan.

This closely follows the AI Opportunities Action Plan, which has put the UK on course to revolutionise public services and become an AI superpower – already attracting over £14 billion in investment since launching just last month.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said:

As a cancer survivor, I feel like one of the lucky ones.

With record numbers of people diagnosed with cancer, and Lord Darzi finding that cancer survival is worse in this country than our peers, I know that urgent action is needed to save lives and improve patient care.

That’s why for World Cancer Day, I am committed to publishing a dedicated national cancer plan this year, to unleash Britain’s potential as a world leader in saving lives from this deadly disease and make the NHS fit for the future through our Plan for Change.

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at DHSC and Chief Executive Officer of NIHR, said:

This landmark trial could lead to a significant step forward in the early detection of breast cancer, offering women faster, more accurate diagnoses when it matters most.

It is another example of how NIHR research, shaped and funded by the public, is crucial for rigorously testing world-leading new technologies, such as AI, that can potentially save lives while reducing the burden on the NHS.

Due to be published later this year, the national cancer plan will set out targeted actions to reduce lives lost to one of the biggest killers, continue improving survival rates, and improve the experience of patients along their cancer journey.

It will also include specific actions for rarer cancers such as those affecting children and young people.

To support this work, the government has re-launched the Children and Young People’s Cancer Taskforce, with Dame Caroline Dinenage and Professor Darren Hargrave appointed as its co-chairs, alongside Dr Sharna Shanmugavadivel as vice-chair.

The taskforce will bring together the country’s top experts to set out plans to improve treatment, detection and research for cancer in children and young people, which will feed into the national cancer plan.

NHS national clinical director for cancer, Professor Peter Johnson, said:

The NHS is diagnosing more cancers at an early stage than ever before – when treatment is most likely to be effective – but we know we need to accelerate progress further.

A national cancer plan will give us the chance to do just that – bringing in new ideas, help us make best practice, normal practice – and ensure the NHS is at the cutting edge of new cancer developments and innovations in the future.

Britain is a global leader in the development of advanced therapies, with a strong academic and life sciences industry, and was the first national health system in Europe to commission CAR-T cellular therapy for blood cancer patients.

Now, alongside the national cancer plan, a new UK Collaborative for Cancer Clinical Research is being launched to provide co-ordination, target investment and maximise opportunities for the UK to lead in clinical research. This will help to unlock innovation and growth.

Hosted by the Association of Medical Research Charities, the collaborative will support charities to convene expertise from across the cancer research landscape, to identify strategic priorities and cross-cutting areas of unmet need.

Science Minister Lord Vallance and Health Minister Baroness Merron will see first-hand how charities, academia, industry and the NHS working hand in hand to support research is leading to breakthroughs for cancer patients, on a visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital today. Their Sutton cancer hub is hosting MANIFEST, a research project jointly led by the Francis Crick Institute, looking to better target immunotherapy as a treatment of cancer. The government announced £9 million funding for the project, in October.

Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, said:

Catching cancer weeks earlier could be the difference between life and death – and these trials could not only help to get women faster access to treatment but reduce pressures on our NHS.

Delivering on our AI Opportunities Action Plan, we are going to use AI to repair broken public services and drive forward our Plan for Change. Trials like this illustrate exactly the impact we know the technology can have – improving lives and in this case, saving them.

The government has committed to fixing the NHS and making it fit for the future as part of its Plan for Change.

Last week, the government pledged to speed up diagnosis and treatment for tens of thousands of cancer patients. From March 2026, around 100,000 more people every year will be told they have cancer or not within 28 days and around 17,000 more people will begin treatment within 2 months of a referral.

This comes as part of new targets from NHS England confirming 4 out of 5 patients would receive a diagnosis or be given the all-clear within 28 days of a cancer referral – an increase to 80% on the current target of 77%.

The move will ensure that those with cancer are given the best chance of survival through earlier diagnosis and access to treatment.

It will also bring the government closer to achieving all of the cancer waiting time standards set out in the NHS Constitution, some of which have not been met since 2015.

Read more information on how to contribute to the call for evidence for the national cancer plan.

Macmillan Cancer Support Chief Executive, Gemma Peters, said:

Today, cancer care faces some of the biggest challenges we’ve ever seen. There are almost 3.5 million people living with cancer across the UK. As this number rises, more and more people will struggle to access the care they need because of who they are or where they live. Better cancer care is possible if we harness promising innovations like those announced today and ensure everyone benefits from them.

That’s why today we have brought together people living with cancer, community organisations and cancer experts so the Health and Social Care Secretary can hear directly from the people who are dealing with cancer day in and day out. By sharing experiences, learning from what works and what is broken, we have an opportunity to spark a revolution in cancer care. The government knows we need to do things differently and joining forces with Macmillan and other trusted partners to develop a robust cancer plan for England, we can together transform cancer care for everyone now and for the future.

Cancer Research UK Chief Executive, Michelle Mitchell, said:

Nearly 1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime. Tackling the leading cause of death in the UK requires bold leadership, and we welcome the UK government’s national cancer plan for England. We need a long-term strategy focused on diagnosing cancers earlier, reducing waiting times, and bringing cutting-edge treatment to people sooner.

The evidence is clear: countries with dedicated cancer plans see greater improvements in survival. We look forward to working with the UK government to make sure the plan delivers for everyone affected by cancer in England.

Cancer 52 Chief Executive Officer, Chris Walden, said:

A national cancer plan is an opportunity to ensure people with rare and less common cancers are diagnosed early, survival rates improve and they have the support they need.

55% of all deaths from cancer are from rare and less common cancers; tackling this must be a priority and patient voices need to be heard as part of the consultation process so the policy recommendations are grounded in their experiences.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 11 February 2025.

Over 20,000 self-testing and self-sampling kits will be made available to help end HIV transmissions by the end of the decade.

• Public health campaign to end HIV transmissions in England by 2030 given £1.5 million fund from government
• Funding will increase testing, reduce stigma, tackle health disparities and raise awareness
• The Prime Minister became the first serving G7 leader to have an HIV test on camera

Over 20,000 self-testing and self-sampling kits will be made available to help end HIV transmissions by the end of the decade.

The packs are part of a public health campaign to end the virus transmissions in England by 2030 and has been backed by £1.5 million in government funding.

To mark National HIV Testing Week, the government has also announced it will extend the national HIV prevention programme – HIV Prevention England – by a year.

The campaign, delivered by Terrence Higgins Trust and local partners, carries out vital work to increase testing for groups disproportionally affected by HIV and reduce stigma, as well as raise awareness of ways to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

The Prime Minister has given his backing by becoming the first ever serving leader of a G7 nation to take a self-testing HIV test on camera, demonstrating that getting a test is quick, easy, free and confidential.

After undertaking a test, the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:

It is really important to do it, and I am pleased to have taken part too. It’s easy, it is quick, and during National HIV Testing Week you can get a test free – so it is a great time to also take part.

If people test, they will know their status. It is better that people know and that is a good thing because you can then get treatment to help meet our target to end new HIV transmissions by 2030.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

Getting tested for HIV is quick, free and confidential and I would like to pay tribute to the leadership of my Rt Hon friend the Prime Minister for becoming the first in history to take a HIV test, the first leader in the history of the G7 to take a HIV test.

As a former member of the independent HIV commission, I’m determined that this government will deliver our commitment to end new transmissions of HIV in England by 2030 and we’ll set this out shortly in our new action plan.

It comes as polling by YouGov, on behalf of HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust, has found that more than 80% of adults in England are unaware it is possible to test for HIV at home. However, when prompted as an option, at-home testing was the most popular way to know your HIV status, with 44% of people saying it would be their preference.

Since the introduction of self-testing kits, home testing has increased in popularity, especially among women and some ethnic minorities who are less likely to test through their local sexual health services.

The funding follows on from £27 million announced by the Prime Minister to extend the NHS England innovative opt-out HIV testing in emergency departments, announced ahead of World Aids Day.

The move supports the government’s Plan for Change by ensuring people can get timely access to diagnostics and care if they need it, while supporting the shift from sickness to prevention. It precedes the new HIV action plan, which is expected later this year.

Speaking at the House of Commons today (11 February 2025), Public Health and Prevention Minister, Ashley Dalton, said:

Increasing HIV testing is a vital step towards meeting our goal and will be a core element of our new HIV action plan published later this year.

That’s why we are investing over £4.5 million to deliver a national prevention programme.

And that’s why today, I can announce that we will extend the programme for a further year to March 2026, backed by an extra £1.5 million.

Richard Angell OBE, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said:

National HIV Testing Week is an award-winning campaign and we are so pleased that it will be back next year. The continued success of this partnership between Terrence Higgins Trust and the Department of Health and Social Care delivers 25,000 HIV at-home tests across England and is crucial in our joint mission to end new HIV cases by 2030.

England can be the first country in the world to end the epidemic, but we are not yet on track to do so. A new HIV action plan for England will turbo-charge those efforts. We are delighted that Sir Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting are leading from the front in this mission.

Testing can also take place in community settings, not just at home or at sexual health services.

The UK Health Security Agency has published its community testing survey results today, which show that in 2023, testing in community settings – such as nightclubs, festivals and voluntary sector premises – increased by 7% compared to 2022.

The report also found nearly a quarter of all tests were reported among individuals being tested for HIV for the first time. It also highlights the impact of National HIV Testing Week, noting that there was a 22% increase in the number of tests carried out in this time compared to 2022.

Dr Tamara Ðuretić, Head of HIV section at the UK Health Security Agency, said:

HIV can affect anyone, no matter your gender or sexual orientation. It’s good to see National HIV Testing Week once again highlighting the hugely important role regular testing plays in helping to prevent new infections, alongside condom use.

Testing allows people to have access to free prevention interventions such as PrEP (HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis) and, should you test positive, ensures timely access to treatment that saves lives and prevents the virus being passed on.

NHS Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard, said:

Increasing the early detection and diagnoses of HIV enables the NHS to provide people with better access to the latest and most effective life-saving medication, which can prevent long-term health issues and reduces the chance of unknown transmissions to others.

Boosting opportunities to test for HIV, including through home testing and the highly successful NHS emergency department testing programme, is crucial. We would encourage anyone who could be living with HIV to order a test and get checked.

Background information

During National HIV Testing Week (10 to 16 February 2025), anyone in England can order a free HIV test from Free Testing HIV to do at home.

Alongside free postal test kits being available during National HIV Testing Week, there are also testing events and drop-ins happening across England. A variety of online, postal and face-to-face testing is also available year-round through local authority commissioned sexual and reproductive health services.

The government is also supporting the international effort to ending HIV and AIDS. A further £37 million, announced in November 2024, will go towards increasing access to vital sexual and reproductive health services and support for vulnerable and marginalised people across the globe. This is in addition to the government’s ongoing contribution to international efforts to tackle HIV and AIDS, totalling at least £497 million in 2023, which works to tackle stigma and improve testing, enable greater access to HIV prevention pill PrEP and better post-diagnosis support.

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,071 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 29 and 30 January 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Great Britain adults (aged 18 and over).

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 7 February 2025.

Local communities to receive funding for family and school nurses, sexual health clinics and other public health services.

• Funds will drive key health services, from smoking cessation to addiction recovery and children’s health
• Public health grant, which funds health services and other interventions via local authorities, expands to £3.858 billion, an uplift of 5.4%
• Part of the government’s Plan for Change to help build an NHS fit for the future.

Local communities up and down the country will receive funding for family and school nurses, sexual health clinics and other public health services in their areas, thanks to a nearly £200 million boost in funding announced today (7 February 2025).

As part of government plans to improve health outcomes across the country and build healthier communities, local public health services will be given more money to deliver prevention programmes, tailored to their residents.

This investment is a key part of the government’s Plan for Change, shifting the focus from hospital to community and from sickness to prevention to build a more sustainable, fit for future NHS.

The funding for public health will power essential services such as smoking cessation programmes, addiction recovery, family and school nurses, sexual health clinics, local health protection services and public health support for local NHS services.

The boost represents a significant turning point for local health services, marking the biggest real-terms increase after nearly a decade of reduced spending between 2016 and 2024.

Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Andrew Gwynne, said:

Lord Darzi’s investigation into the NHS found that children are sicker today than a decade ago, and adults are falling into ill health earlier in life.

Prevention is better than cure. If we can reach people earlier and help them stay healthy, this extra investment will pay for itself several times over in reduced demand on the NHS and by keeping people in work.

Whether it’s supporting people to quit smoking, giving children a healthy start to life or providing addiction recovery services, this investment as part of the government’s Plan for Change will make a real difference in communities across the country.

After a decade of cuts to public health, this government is committed to shifting the focus of healthcare from sickness to prevention, and we’re putting our money where our mouth is.

Funding for public health grants will be increased to £3.858 billion – a 5.4% cash uplift (3.0% in real terms) on last year’s funding. This investment will tackle the root causes of ill health and build stronger, healthier communities nationwide.

Helping people live better for longer will aid in relieving pressure on the NHS and support the Plan for Change in ending hospital backlogs.

See public health grants to local authorities: 2025 to 2026 for more information about the allocations and grant conditions.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 4 February 2025.

Baroness Camilla Cavendish, Naomi Eisenstadt CB and Phil Jordan become non-executive directors on the board of the Department of Health and Social Care.

• Baroness Camilla Cavendish, Naomi Eisenstadt CB and Phil Jordan join the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) board
• They bring cross-party and wide-ranging experience and will provide strategic guidance to support health and care reforms
• The appointments come as part of the government’s call for the country’s best talent to join its mission to fix the NHS

Experts from across the public and private sector have been appointed to the DHSC board to drive forward health and social care reform plans.

Baroness Camilla Cavendish, Naomi Eisenstadt CB and Phil Jordan’s wealth of experience and expertise across the political divide and both the public and private sector will be vital in supporting the government’s key missions to drive down waiting lists and reform the NHS as part of the 10 Year Health Plan, shifting the focus from hospital to community, from sickness to prevention, and from analogue to digital.

Baroness Cavendish is best known for her time as head of the Number 10 Policy Unit under Prime Minister David Cameron. Ms Eisenstadt was the first Director of Sure Start, widely regarded as one of the most important policy initiatives in recent history, while Mr Jordan has held a long and distinguished career in the private sector, including top roles at Sainsbury’s, Telefónica and Vodafone.

They will join Lead Non-Executive Director Alan Milburn, former Health Secretary under Tony Blair’s government, on the board of DHSC.

It comes as part of the government’s call for the best and brightest to join its mission to fix the broken NHS and reflects DHSC’s commitment to drawing on diverse skills and perspectives to ensure it is fit for the future.

Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said:

I am drawing on people of different political persuasions, with public and private sector experience, to help us turn around the NHS, make it fit for the future, and reform social care.

The NHS is one of the biggest organisations in the world, and building a national care service is a generational ambition. We should be competing with global businesses to recruit the best and the brightest to our cause.

I am delighted to welcome Camilla, Naomi and Phil to their new roles. Their combined expertise in social policy and technology, deep understanding of healthcare and commitment to pragmatism over ideology will be invaluable as we fix our broken NHS.

If there are other people out there with the skills, experience and drive to transform the treatment and care of millions of people, then we want your help building our 10 Year Health Plan.

As non-executive directors, Camilla, Naomi and Phil will provide independent oversight, constructive challenge and strategic advice to the department. Their expertise will help shape DHSC’s mission to ensure the best possible health and care outcomes for everyone across England.

The NHS is broken and through the Plan for Change, it is the mission of this government to fix it and make the health service fit for the future. As part of this national mission, experts are being brought in to help develop policy, and NHS staff and patients have been invited to share their experience and ideas to change the NHS on the Change NHS website.

Baroness Camilla Cavendish

Former head of the Number 10 Policy Unit under Prime Minister David Cameron, Baroness Cavendish brings a wealth of experience across public policy, healthcare and journalism, and will draw on her expertise in social care while working at DHSC.

The vocal advocate for health and social care reform has led significant reviews that have shaped social care policy and practice. Notably, the Cavendish Review (2013) examined the training and development of health and social care support workers.

The review highlighted the need for improved standards of training, greater recognition for care workers and more robust safeguards for those in vulnerable situations. Her recommendations continue to influence workforce development across the sector.

Naomi Eisenstadt CB

Naomi Eisenstadt CB has a distinguished career in public policy and social welfare, including serving as the first director of the Sure Start Unit, where she spearheaded transformative early years programmes aimed at reducing inequality, and will bring her expertise on health inequalities to DHSC.

The scheme is one of the most successful social policy interventions in the past 30 years, demonstrating the importance of early intervention and prevention – one of the 3 big shifts this government is committed to in our 10 Year Plan for Health.

Currently serving as chair of the NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board, Naomi’s extensive experience and commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable communities make her an invaluable addition to the department.

Phil Jordan

Phil Jordan will focus on data and digital capability at DHSC, drawing on his impressive background having led major initiatives across both the public and private sector.

With a proven track record in strategic leadership, including as Chief Information Officer at Sainsbury’s, Telefónica, and Vodafone UK and Ireland, Phil has been instrumental in driving innovation and efficiency in complex organisations.

His expertise will support the department’s ongoing efforts to modernise healthcare delivery and enhance digital infrastructure, as part of the vital shift from analogue to digital, equipping the health service with the cutting-edge technology it needs to tackle waiting lists, improve patient experience and speed up diagnosis.

Background information

These appointments are made in accordance with the Cabinet Office Code of Governance for Public Appointments. The regulation of public appointments against the requirements of this code is carried out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

In line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, political activity is not a bar to appointment but political activity during the last 5 years should be declared. Camilla Cavendish and Phil Jordan have not declared any political activity. Naomi Eisenstadt is a member of the Labour Party.

Government non-executives provide advice and bring an external perspective to the business of government departments by sitting on departmental boards. They do not have decision-making powers.

See DHSC public appointments: 2024 to 2025 for further information.

NHS England is currently advertising non-executive vacancies. See: non-executive opportunities in the NHS: public appointments for further information.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 4 February 2025.

Tom Kibasi has over 20 years of experience working in the healthcare sector and will provide expert advice to government on how to fix the broken NHS.

• Tom has accepted a direct ministerial appointment to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
• Tom will work closely with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, to draft the government’s 10 Year Health Plan

Tom Kibasi brings over 2 decades of healthcare sector experience into his new role, where he will provide expert advice and support to the Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting’s reform agenda, including drafting the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.

He has accepted a direct ministerial appointment to DHSC where he will support the department to turn the ideas for a better health service, coming from tens of thousands of patients and frontline staff, into successful delivery in the landmark 10 Year Health Plan. The plan will set out how the government’s 3 big shifts – from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, from sickness to prevention – are to be delivered.

Tom is joint chair of 3 mental health and community NHS trusts, leading the charge to improve their quality of care and to help keep patients well in the community, having joined the board of Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust in 2016. This includes ensuring that trusts share best practice through a new board-in-common and a common framework for quality of care, access to services, finance and productivity. This expertise will help the government deliver the shift in healthcare from hospital to the community.

Tom led the drafting and directed the analysis for Lord Ara Darzi’s independent investigation into the state of the NHS, which reported in September 2024. The investigation found that the service is in a ‘critical condition’ amid surging waiting lists and a deterioration in the nation’s underlying health. Early in his career, Tom worked at the Department of Health as a senior policy adviser to Lord Darzi for his landmark 2008 review of the NHS: High Quality Care for All.

Tom Kibasi said:

The independent investigation was a devastating diagnosis of the problems that patients, the public and hard-working NHS staff experience every day.

Since then, there has been a remarkable process of public, staff and expert engagement on the 10 Year Health Plan. There is now huge energy and expectation about the vision that it will set for both the service and for the health of the nation.