Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 30 January 2025.

Minister of State for Women’s Health, Baroness Merron, spoke at the Responsible AI: Women and Healthcare Conference 2025, in London.

I am absolutely delighted to be able to join you today, and I know I am amongst a very wide range of diverse voices and contributors here.

I want to say thank you for making the time to be here today and to take part, and for sharing your insight on an issue which has the potential to hugely impact for good. I might add, hugely impact our health system for many decades to come. Let me tell you, I’ve just come from speaking in the Chamber about osteoporosis, and I was asked a question by a Peer about the role of AI so I was very glad to be able to say I’m actually on my way to a conference to address this very point.

So, I say that because I want you to know how relevant this is in Parliament, and there is rightly a push for progress in the way that we are all committed to.

Since coming into government, we haven’t, and I haven’t, shied away from recognising the huge challenges that we’ve got to address in our health system, and I’m firmly of the view that our health service can only address the challenges of the future and indeed, the challenges of today, if we use the technologies of tomorrow.

It’s no good looking to the technologies of the past, and we are absolutely committed to delivering the digital transformation that potentially brings these benefits to life.

We know about the important point about health inequalities, that there are those for whom the NHS hasn’t been there when they need it, even though it should have been. So, as we look to build an NHS that’s fit for the future, it has to be about improvement for everybody, not just a select group.

It should not matter about what is your age, your ethnicity, your wealth, your religion, your sex or where you live. We have to work together to create a Britain, I believe, where everybody can live a healthier life for longer.

A key part of this has to be and must be women’s health to ensure that women are not sidelined in any way and, because that simply creates a negative effect on millions of lives, both directly but indirectly as well.

We know that women live a greater proportion of their lives in ill health and disability, and 60% of women in this country feel their health issues are not taken seriously. I know that women’s voices are often not heard, and I believe that’s to the detriment not just of the care that’s given, but also to our healthcare system.

So, for many, when this is combined with other factors like their ethnicity, or the area that they live in, it leads to even worse outcomes. Now that is a challenge to take on and to take it on fully, and we will do that. So, as we speak today, we know we’re on the brink of a technological revolution in healthcare and in many other areas.

AI will drive incredible amounts of change in our country, and we do have the opportunity to harness it, to turbocharge growth and to boost the quality of lives for all, including women.

So, we as a government are throwing our full support behind this because AI, as I referred to earlier, is the technology of today. It’s already being deployed in our economy. It’s already revolutionising the delivery of services, including public services, and very much changing how we deliver healthcare.

So, I don’t need to explain to all of you, because you will explain it better to me about how AI can make a transformational difference to the health of our country.

However, we have to bear in mind the experience of the past. We do know of instances in the past where not enough care has been taken with new technologies, and we’ve seen the damage that can do. So AI, without doubt opens doors to exciting and very real new possibilities, but we do need to build public confidence and trust that AI is being used responsibly, it’s being used safely and effectively for everyone, and I do think there is a job of work to be done there.

Without enough care, AI could potentially, in a not good way, incorporate all the same biases that have plagued our healthcare system for too long. There is already evidence of AI healthcare technologies working more effectively for men than for women.

So, for conditions such as liver disease and kidney disease, algorithms have been hailed as the best without accounting for this absolutely crucial point, and not enough of the patient data used to train these models has been from women. So that means that the AI models have translated the biases from our existing clinical methods into their own approaches.

So there needs to be much greater attention to developing technologies responsibly, and inclusively, that don’t leave women or indeed any other part of our population behind. By perpetuating these biases that may in part be a product of who is in the room developing these new technologies, possibly. Women are significantly underrepresented in the AI sector, as is commonly the case in other technology sectors.

One study suggested, I noted, that only a quarter of the AI workforce is female, and I have no doubt that having more women in the room, as we have today, would do a huge amount to help. Although, I do have to say it is not all the responsibility of women to ensure the woman’s perspective. Not at all.

So, as we look to AI, we need to ensure that 51% of our population must be worked with and for. This is not a minority group. We are a majority group and with particular healthcare needs. So, by taking steps to eliminate bias in healthcare AI, we will build trust, and I do think trust is so important, to build trust in this next wave of healthcare technologies and ensure that digital solutions can work for everyone.

We are, in government, committed to providing that support and enabling your efforts to come to fruition. We have supported the delivery of the Standing Together recommendations, which is a crucial piece of work developing standards for AI data sets, ensuring that they do reflect the diversity of the patient population and mean that we can see products that work for everybody.

With the National Institute for Health and Care Research, we are making sure that the UK research community incorporates sex and gender into its research, supporting the crucial work in the research inclusion strategy and finalising a sex and gender policy framework for funders through the Medical Science, Sex and Gender Equity project. But there is, of course, so much more to do and so much further that we can go to help you achieve the goal of making AI in healthcare work for everyone.

We will stand by your side in this crucial endeavour, and we are committed to enabling your efforts and finding ways to do that, because I believe it’s only with your expertise and your insight that the potential for digital transformation can be fully realised because what we want to see is faster diagnosis. We want to see better treatment. We want more efficient care to every person across the country.

It is thanks to your advocacy and to your knowledge and your initiative that we will ensure that we learn the lessons from the past, and we will make sure that nobody is left out as we look to the future.

So, let me thank you again for attending the conference today. I know that together we have the ability to achieve great things and making sure that the digital health revolution is one that’s embraced, that is safe and is fair for everyone, and will unlock the benefits of AI to improve the health of the nation.

I am looking forward to that. So, thank you very much.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 16 January 2025.

Fresh guidance will give businesses the green light to sell certain pioneering hearing aids.

• Tens of thousands of people with hearing loss to benefit from government action as it delivers Plan for Change to drive growth and improve living standards
• Green light for companies to sell innovative devices, like earphones with hearing aid functionality
• Pro-business move supports UK’s ambitions to be tech superpower and shift healthcare from analogue to digital

Tens of thousands of people with hearing loss will have access to groundbreaking new hearing aid devices, thanks to government action.

Fresh guidance has been published today (16 January 2025), giving businesses around the world the green light to sell certain pioneering hearing aids here in the UK.

This includes earphones with both hearing test and hearing aid software functionalities. Such revolutionary products allow someone to take a hearing test at home using their earphones and an app on their phone. If the test indicates mild to moderate hearing loss, the person can then switch on the hearing aid function on the same earphones.

This will make it easier and more convenient for patients to manage their own health. Combating hearing loss can also reduce associated risks like social isolation.

The government’s Plan for Change has a laser focus on securing the UK’s position as a global tech powerhouse which fosters innovation to transform the lives of working people, with the Prime Minister this week setting out a blueprint to unleash artificial intelligence (AI) across the UK – including in healthcare – and deliver a decade of national renewal.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

Britain can be a powerhouse for medical technology, but only if we rip out pointless regulation that suffocates innovation.

Groundbreaking new hearing aid devices have the potential to help tens of thousands of people with hearing loss, helping them to live their life to the full. The action we’re taking will give businesses the green light to start selling these products to patients across the UK.

This is part of the work this government is undertaking in partnership with leading technology companies, to harness the revolution in medical technology, bring our analogue healthcare into the digital age and make life more convenient for patients.

One in 3 adults in the UK are deaf or experience hearing loss or tinnitus – which rises to more than 50% of over 55s.

Of these, approximately 53% use hearing aids. Currently, there is uncertainty about whether patients are able to buy hearing aids directly, including as part of testing their hearing at home. Today’s guidance will put an end to this confusion – speeding up patient access to the devices while making the UK an attractive place to manufacture innovative and wearable medical technology.

The move delivers on the Prime Minister’s commitment at the International Investment Summit to tackle bureaucracy blocking investment and remove unnecessary regulatory burdens that have previously stifled growth.

There are lots of possible causes of hearing loss. It may be caused by something treatable or it may be permanent. The NHS advises that if patients have not already undergone a clinical assessment, they should see a GP if:

• they think their hearing is getting gradually worse
• they’ve had treatment for an ear infection or earwax build-up but their hearing has not come back
• they have sudden hearing loss in one or both ears
• their hearing has been getting worse over the last few days or weeks
• they have hearing loss along with other symptoms, such as earache or discharge coming out of the ear

Patients can also have hearing tests at some pharmacists and opticians too.

Patient safety will be paramount, and the government will ensure that all manufacturers comply with the relevant legislation. People will also still be encouraged to seek clinical advice through their GP if they are having problems with their hearing.

This will help fulfil 2 of the 10 Year Health Plan’s key goals – moving care from hospital to the community and shifting the health service from analogue to digital.

The move will help establish the UK as a global leader for innovative treatments and technologies, supporting sustained economic growth, good jobs and increased productivity across the country, while ensuring patients have greater control of their own healthcare.

Background information

The government has already set out a series of steps to ensure this kind of innovation is nurtured in the UK.

In October, a new group was set up to ensure new technologies – like AI for better treatments in our NHS and drones delivering emergency supplies to all corners of the UK, could reach the public faster.

The Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) will reduce the burden for businesses hoping to bring new products and services to the market, including AI training software for surgeons to deliver more accurate surgical treatments for patients.

It will speed up approvals and ensure different regulatory bodies work together smoothly.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 15 January 2025.

£5.5 million to go towards vital research projects to tackle ongoing mpox outbreaks in DRC and neighbouring countries.

• Ministers announce funding for research to tackle ongoing mpox outbreaks in Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring countries
• Research projects will focus on transmission, improved surveillance of outbreaks, and new vaccines and treatments for the virus, particularly for mothers and newborns
• Investment will help tackle mpox at source to protect the UK public

The UK government has announced £5.5 million for research into transmission, new vaccines and treatments to tackle the mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring countries.

The significant investment is part of the UK’s international response to mpox: providing critical support to countries at the centre of the outbreak and strengthening global health security, while ensuring the UK is protected.

The funding will go towards research projects focused on:

• studying the genetics and transmission patterns of clade 1b mpox and strengthening public health responses in affected regions
• developing vaccines, with particular attention to protecting vulnerable groups
• supporting clinical trials involving mothers and newborn children – including improving the efficacy of vaccines and antiviral treatments

Health Minister Baroness Gillian Merron said:

We are proud to be at the forefront of the international response to mpox.

This crucial funding will develop our understanding of the disease, and hopefully develop new ways of protecting people at risk of this terrible disease – particularly mothers and their babies who are particularly vulnerable.

It will also help protect the UK and improve our resilience to future outbreaks.

Minister for Development Anneliese Dodds said:

Working together as genuine partners to tackle infectious diseases helps us all.

Since August, the UK has been working with others including UNICEF and the WHO to bolster the international response to mpox and prevent its spread across borders.

By investing in expertise, we will better equip the international community to tackle this disease and protect communities both in central Africa and at home in the UK.

This funding has been given through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget and will support 9 major research projects in partnership with the Global Health European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership 3 (Global Health EDCTP3).

In August 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) due to the newly identified clade 1b outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This outbreak has expanded to neighbouring countries, and a small number of cases have been detected in other countries including Thailand, Sweden and the USA.

Five cases of clade 1b mpox were confirmed in England last year. The risk of clade 1b mpox to the UK population remains low, and the government is closely monitoring the disease.

In September 2024, the UK government secured more than 150,000 doses of mpox vaccines to help boost resilience against clade 1 mpox and protect the UK population.

Protecting the UK’s health from current and future threats, and strengthening our collaboration with global partners to better prevent outbreaks worldwide, is part of the government’s Plan for Change.

Building scientific expertise through international research – by better understanding diseases and developing vaccines – will be crucial to achieving the core shift from sickness to prevention, an important part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.

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

Scientific research can improve lives, and this vital funding will strengthen our international response to mpox. By building on our scientific expertise and collaborating with global partners, we can better prevent and control future outbreaks worldwide.

This research will look into ways to protect vulnerable people, especially women and newborn children, who have been disproportionately affected by the mpox outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa. This work is crucial for advancing health equity and building more resilient communities.

Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said:

Research funding for mpox focused in the areas most affected in Africa is critical to the scientific understanding of this disease. This collaborative funding, alongside ongoing international efforts, will provide a much needed injection of support to reduce the spread of mpox across the globe.

There has been extensive planning by the government and UKHSA to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to and contact trace any further cases.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 10 January 2025.

Thousands of parents and children across England will be able to give their child the best start in life thanks to a £126 million government funding boost.

• £126 million boost for families to give every child the best start of life and deliver on Plan for Change.
• Funding will go to areas with high levels of deprivation to provide a range of support to parents, including on mental health and infant feeding.

Thousands of families and children across England will be able to access pregnancy support, infant feeding advice, parenting classes and other support to give their child the best start in life, following a £126 million government funding boost – delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.

Around £57 million will be made available to 75 local authorities with high levels of deprivation in 2025-26. This will provide a raft of support through Start for Life services to families with babies, from pregnancy up to the age of two. The £57 million for Start for Life services will be given to local authorities and consists of:

• £36.5 million to improve mental health support for families and promote positive early relationships between babies and caregivers;
• £18.5 million to improve infant feeding services and provide support with breastfeeding;
• £2 million to ensure families can access and understand their local Start for Life services and support parents and carers to bring their valuable insight into service design.

It comes on top of the £69 million announced in the Budget for a network of family hubs, which act as a one-stop-shop for families to get help with infant feeding advice, parenting classes and perinatal mental health support, among other areas.

Children’s early years are crucial to their development, health and life chances. Antenatal classes, health visitors, parenting support, baby and toddler groups and access to affordable, high-quality early education and childcare – all are vital to guiding parents and supporting child development. Yet over 80% of parents have said they struggled to access services.

This lack of support in early years can act as a barrier to development and contributes to too many children not being ready to start school, with over a third of children unable to dress independently and 90% of reception teachers saying they have at least one child in the class not toilet trained.

That’s why, as part of our Plan for Change, we’re committed to strengthening and joining up family services to improve support through pregnancy and early childhood and improve long term outcomes for children – including through today’s investment in family hubs and the Start for Life programme.

By delivering accessible, integrated maternity, baby and family support services, and high-quality early education and childcare, today’s announcement delivers on the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and set every child up for the best start in life.

To achieve the government’s overall mission objective of closing the opportunity gap, the government has set a milestone as part of the Plan for Change of a record proportion of children starting school ready to learn. Progress will be measured through 75% of five-year-olds reaching a good level of development in the early years foundation stage assessment by 2028 – and today’s announcement marks a first step to delivering this milestone.

It also delivers on our mission to build an NHS fit for the future by shifting from hospital to community and bringing care closer to where people live. By offering parents extra support, including access to midwifery and health visitor services closer to their home, it will help tackle wider social causes of ill-health, address inequalities and ultimately help ease pressure on hospitals and waiting lists.

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

This crucial investment provides a strong foundation to deliver our commitment to raise the healthiest generation of children ever, by giving parents the support they need to ensure their baby has the best start in life.

The first two years of a child’s life lay the building blocks for their physical and emotional wellbeing into adulthood. That’s why we are investing in early years, as part of our Plan for Change, to improve access to services in deprived areas to ensure no-one is left behind.

Minister for Children and Families, Janet Daby said:

Investment in these crucial services will break down barriers to opportunity, support families and get a record proportion of children ready for school.

Through our Plan for Change, we’ll ensure tens of thousands more children are hitting key early learning goals on personal, social and physical development as well as communication, literacy and maths. That’s because children growing up in our country deserve the best start in life – nothing less.

The Family Hubs and Start for Life programme is jointly run by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education. There are over 400 family hubs in England, covering half of all upper-tier councils. The hubs offer a range of services tailored to the local community, including midwifery and health visiting.

The Department for Education also funds parenting and Home Learning Environment programmes. These services support parents to form strong bonds with their babies and develop better home environments which boost children’s social, emotional and cognitive development.

Staff at family hubs can connect families to a range of health and education services. This includes helping families access information and advice around debt and welfare, housing, domestic abuse, nutrition, and oral health. They have a universal offer while targeting disadvantaged families or those who would benefit most.

People can get support from a family hub if they are an expectant parent or carer, a parent or carer of a child aged 0 to 19 – or 25 with special educational needs or a disability – or a young person up to the age of 19, or up to 25 with special educational needs or a disability.

Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:

We are pleased government has continued investment in Family Hubs and Start for Life services, which play a crucial role in supporting families and giving children the best start in life.

Long-term, sustainable funding is essential to ensuring all councils can meet local needs effectively and invest in vital staff such as health visitors.

We look forward to continuing to work with the Government to deliver on its ambition to create the healthiest generation of children.

Anna Feuchtwang, Chief Executive of the National Children’s Bureau, said:

The National Children’s Bureau supports the government’s ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever, and its mission to increase the number of 5-year-olds reaching a good level of development by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage, before the next General Election.

That is why we warmly welcome today’s announcement that funding for the Start for Life programme will be extended until March 2026. This compliments commitments in October’s Budget to fund Family Hubs, improve the quality of early education and childcare, and provide £250 million for local authorities to develop a new Family Help offer for those struggling with the greatest adversity.

The funding announced today is a much needed down-payment that must pave the way for greater investment in the multi-year Spending Review, so that Start for Life can reach all parts of the country.

Estimates indicate £45.5 billion could be generated for the national economy by investing in early childhood. Creating the healthiest generation of children ever will increase the number of years individuals spend in good health as adults, generating significant improvements to population health.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The 75 local authorities receiving family hubs and Start for Life programme funding are as follows, categorised by region:

• East of England: Bedford; Luton; Norfolk; Peterborough; Thurrock
• London: Barking and Dagenham; Brent; Camden; Croydon; Enfield; Greenwich; Hackney; Haringey; Hounsow; Islington; Lambeth; Lewisham; Newham; Southwark; Tower Hamlets; Waltham Forest
• South East: East Sussex; Isle of Wight; Kent; Medway; Portsmouth; Southampton
• North East: County Duram; Gateshead; Hartlepool; Middlesborough; Newcastle upon Tyne; Northumberland; Redcar and Cleveland; South Tyneside; Sunderland
• North West: Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Bolton; Halton; Knowsley; Liverpool; Manchester; Oldham; Rochdale; Salford; St. Helens; Tameside
• Yorkshire and The Humber: Barnsley; Bradford; Calderdale; Doncaster; Kingston upon Hull, City of; North East Lincolnshire; North Lincolnshire; Rotherham; Sheffield; Wakefield
• East Midlands: Derby; Leicester; Lincolnshire; North Northamptonshire; Nottingham
• West Midlands: Birmingham; Coventry; Dudley; Sandwell; Stoke-on-Trent; Telford and Wrekin; Walsall; Wolverhampton
• South West: Bristol, City of; Cornwall; Plymouth; Torbay

The Autumn Budget announced £69 million from the Department for Education for a network of family hubs. Of this, the department will provide approximately £53 million in grant payments to the 75 local authorities on the family hubs and Start for Life programme, consisting of:

• £22.4m for Family Hubs programme and capital funding to consolidate and enhance family hubs and services;
• £20m for parenting support services to enhance support for expectant parents and those with babies aged 0-2, focusing on promoting bonding and attachment;
• £10.7m for Home Learning Environment (HLE) services to train practitioners in evidence-based interventions, helping parents create rich home learning environments to support early child development;
• The remaining approximately £16 million will be used to support the delivery of a network of family hubs.
• The Start for Life programme has embedded this multicomponent approach to improve infant feeding services. Local authorities are using programme investment to strengthen existing support and introduce new offers to help parents access face-to-face and virtual infant feeding support whenever they need it and in a location that suits them.
• This includes one-to-one support in hospital wards; proactive offer of support in the immediate post-natal period; peer support in the community and virtually; and training staff to identify complex issues like tongue-tie early.

The figures below are provisional funding allocations that the 75 programme local authorities will be eligible to receive for the financial year 2025-26. Final figures will be confirmed in due course.

Local Authority	Total
Hartlepool	£939,800
Middlesbrough	£1,102,500
Redcar and Cleveland	£1,010,100
Halton	£1,007,900
Blackburn with Darwen	£1,131,800
Blackpool	£1,038,900
Kingston upon Hull, City of	£1,375,500
North East Lincolnshire	£1,056,700
North Lincolnshire	£1,071,500
Derby	£1,338,300
Leicester	£1,637,100
Nottingham	£1,460,300
Telford and Wrekin	£1,159,300
Stoke-on-Trent	£1,357,600
Bristol, City of	£1,718,900
Plymouth	£1,251,600
Torbay	£965,700
Peterborough	£1,290,600
Luton	£1,402,900
Thurrock	£1,209,000
Medway	£1,415,000
Portsmouth	£1,177,300
Southampton	£1,280,800
Isle of Wight	£956,600
County Durham	£1,684,300
Cornwall	£1,716,500
Bedford	£1,168,000
Northumberland	£1,281,300
North Northamptonshire	£1,519,400
Bolton	£1,474,000
Manchester	£2,115,300
Oldham	£1,381,400
Rochdale	£1,311,300
Salford	£1,423,900
Tameside	£1,251,800
Knowsley	£1,130,600
Liverpool	£1,769,900
St. Helens	£1,115,800
Barnsley	£1,257,000
Doncaster	£1,419,300
Rotherham	£1,322,100
Sheffield	£1,911,100
Newcastle upon Tyne	£1,376,200
South Tyneside	£1,034,200
Sunderland	£1,294,000
Birmingham	£3,664,300
Coventry	£1,583,700
Dudley	£1,441,000
Sandwell	£1,619,700
Walsall	£1,449,400
Wolverhampton	£1,422,800
Bradford	£2,134,200
Calderdale	£1,166,600
Wakefield	£1,505,200
Gateshead	£1,129,100
Barking and Dagenham	£1,417,600
Brent	£1,576,400
Camden	£1,143,000
Croydon	£1,709,000
Enfield	£1,535,700
Greenwich	£1,472,500
Hackney	£1,385,700
Haringey	£1,330,600
Hounslow	£1,443,400
Islington	£1,177,200
Lambeth	£1,342,400
Lewisham	£1,440,400
Newham	£1,744,100
Southwark	£1,379,100
Tower Hamlets	£1,486,800
Waltham Forest	£1,476,800
East Sussex	£1,686,800
Kent	£4,099,400
Lincolnshire	£2,103,000
Norfolk	£2,343,500

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 6 January 2025.

Patients will be offered a wider choice of providers and the process of booking treatments and appointments will be made as smooth as possible.

• An upgraded NHS App will enable patients to choose providers, book appointments in more settings and receive test results, all in one place
• Proposals are part of the elective reform plan, setting out proposals to cut waiting lists and reduce waiting times to 18 weeks
• Greater choice and control for patients will sit at heart of reforms, as government delivers on its Plan for Change to rebuild NHS
• It will establish minimum standards patients should expect as they wait for care

A revolutionised NHS App is among a raft of proposals aimed at giving patients greater power over how and when they receive elective treatment, as the government sets out its roadmap to cutting waiting times as confirmed in the Plan for Change.

Currently, less than a quarter of patients recall being offered a choice of hospital for their treatment. Patients have a legal right to choose their provider and the government wants to give them more control over their own care.

Under measures in the forthcoming elective reform plan, patients will be offered a wider choice of providers and the process of booking treatments and appointments will be made as smooth, supportive and convenient as possible.

Planned NHS App upgrades will enable patients requiring non-emergency elective treatment to:

• view and manage appointments at a time and place that is convenient to them, reducing missed appointments, which are costly to the NHS – in 2023 to 2024, there were 8 million missed appointments in elective care
• choose from a wide range of providers, including in the independent sector
• book diagnostic tests through the NHS App at convenient locations, such as a community diagnostic centre (CDC) in a local shopping centre
• receive test results quickly through the app before choosing the next step – whether a remote consultation or surgery – at a convenient time and location

As a first step, by March 2025, patients at over 85% of acute trusts will be able to view appointment information via the NHS App.

Patients will also be able to contact their treatment provider at their convenience, and receive clear information and regular updates, including on how long they are likely to wait for their appointment.

Currently, most patients receive test results through a phone call from a clinician, or a letter with either the result or instructions to book an appointment to discuss them further. This can be a significant time after the diagnostics took place. Enabling patients to receive test results quickly through the app will help address these inefficiencies in the process.

The proposals are part of the elective reform plan, set to be announced this week, which sets out how the government and NHS will deliver on its Plan for Change to slash the waiting list and cut waiting times to 18 weeks by the end of this Parliament.

The plan marks the start of a new era for the health service that will put patients in the driving seat and in control of their own care.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

If the wealthy can choose where and when they are treated, then working class patients should be able to as well, and this government will give them that choice.

Our plan will reform the NHS, so patients are fully informed every step of the way through their care, they are given proper choice to go to a different provider for a shorter wait, and put in control of their own healthcare.

This government’s reform agenda will take the NHS from a one size fits all, top down, ‘like it or lump it’ service, to a modern service that puts patients in the driving seat and treats them on time – delivering on our Plan for Change to drive a decade of national renewal.

By bringing our analogue NHS into the digital age, we will cut waiting times from 18 months to 18 weeks and give working class patients the same choice, control and convenience as the wealthy receive.

The NHS currently lags behind in digital communications, with just 8% of bookings after a referral being made via the NHS App or the Manage Your Referral website. The proposals will drive up this figure by making the NHS App and Manage Your Referral site the default route for patients to choose their provider, or decide not to make that choice themselves.

Greater choice will be available so people can take control of their health, with strengthened communications to patients through the app, making them aware of the options available to them.

More widely, the plan establishes minimum standards patients should expect – giving them more power over decision-making and what they can expect to be able to do:

• choose how they receive follow-ups for care, whether this be digitally or in person
• receive a shortlist of providers to choose from, have the option to choose an appointment that suits them, and receive information on how to change their appointment
• decide whether a follow-up appointment is necessary or whether it is more beneficial to continue recovering at home
• have the ability to contact their provider for any necessary follow-up, rather than being called back at intervals that do not suit their circumstances
• get clear communications that meet their needs throughout their time on the waiting list – including to check whether they still want to be on the list

NHS Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard, said:

NHS staff are providing record levels of elective care but with too many patients waiting, we know we need to reform further and faster so we can take our progress on the backlog to the next level.

That is why as part of the elective reform plan we will fully harness the potential of the NHS App, giving patients more information, choice and control over their care while freeing up the time of our staff so they can work more productively too.

Using technology to revolutionise access to NHS care, alongside offering more availability of tests, checks and scans closer to people’s homes will help us tackle waiting times and put patients in the driving seat of elective care.

Measures to improve 2-way communication between patients and clinicians, as well as making better use of AI to predict missed appointments, could also save an additional one million missed appointments.

Missed appointments add significant delay to patients receiving care, increasing pressures on elective services and potentially other areas of the health service. Sending reminders has been shown to reduce missed appointments by up to 80%, and trusts report better results when communication is 2-way with the patient.

Work is underway to pilot AI services that identify patients more likely to miss appointments and provide support, such as free transport to those most in need.

And accessible and alternative language, as well as tailored communications, will be made available, particularly in areas of highest inequalities, to ensure all patients have the information they need to take control of their care.

The plan puts the patient back at the heart, meaning they can receive care that best suits them and their individual needs, by empowering them to take more control over when, where and how they will be treated.

The plan, Reforming elective care for patients, is available on the NHS England website.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 6 January 2025.

New agreement struck between NHS and independent sector to help tackle waiting lists and give patients greater choice.

• Specialist areas of treatment to be targeted, including women on gynaecological waiting lists and record numbers of orthopaedics patients
• Agreement will also benefit patients in deprived areas of the country, enabling a greater choice of providers

A new agreement has been struck with the independent sector as part of plans to end the hospital waiting list backlog set out by the Prime Minister today (6 January 2025).

Hitting the 18-week NHS waiting time standard for operations and other planned procedures is a key part of the government’s Plan for Change.

The new deal will mean the NHS makes better use of the independent sector to tackle waiting lists as well as providing millions more appointments itself.

The NHS and independent sector partnership agreement will help expand capacity and widen patient choice by setting out how more treatments can be delivered through the independent sector, with care remaining free at the point of use.

The independent healthcare sector estimate that they have capacity to provide an additional one million appointments a year for NHS patients.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

Mission-led government is about doing things differently. When the waiting lists have ballooned to 7.5 million, we will not let ideology or old ways of doing things stand in the way of getting people’s lives back on track.

As we deliver our Plan for Change to rebuild the NHS, it would be a dereliction of duty not to use every available resource to get patients the care they so desperately need.

That’s why this agreement will make sure working people get greater choice over when and where they receive their treatment, and provide more support to the areas in greatest need.

The new deal will set out how independent sector capacity can be used to tackle some of the longest waits in specialist areas of treatment, such as gynaecology, where there is a backlog of 260,000 women waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment.

Orthopaedics will also be a key focus, where over 40% of patients are waiting longer than the 18-week target.

The agreement will also give patients in more deprived areas, where NHS provision is more limited, a greater choice over where they are treated.

Currently, less than a quarter of patients recall being offered a choice of hospital for their treatment. The government wants all NHS patients to have the opportunity to choose who cares for them, and through the wider elective reform plans set out today will give them more control over their own care.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

Millions of patients are being forced to wait unacceptably long for treatment, failed by 14 years of neglect of the NHS. This government will pull every lever available to get patients treated on time again.

I’m not going to allow working people to wait longer than is necessary, when we can get them treated sooner in a private hospital, paid for by the NHS. If the wealthy can be treated on time, then so should NHS patients.

This new agreement will help to cut waiting time faster in parts of the country where the need is greatest, and in gynaecological care where women are left waiting far too long.

The steps we have already taken in the first 6 months have seen waiting lists begin to fall. The investment and reform we are now making will ensure we deliver on the Plan for Change and cut waiting times from 18 months to 18 weeks.

The partnership is key to the government’s plans to meet the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients in England will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment. The standard has not been consistently met since 2015.

As part of the new agreement, NHS England and the independent sector will:

• work on aligning NHS and independent sector digital systems around a national set of standards so patients can more easily see appointments and results on the NHS App
• encourage longer-term contractual relationships to be established, enabling further independent sector investment in NHS capacity
• work together to grow and develop the elective workforce, including ensuring training occurs consistently in the independent sector

Delivery of extra elective care by the NHS has already been ramping up as the government aims to provide an extra 2 million appointments, scans and operations in its first year to get patients seen more quickly.

And a renewed relationship with the independent sector will help provide patients with a greater choice of providers for tests or scans, paid for by the NHS, so it remains free at the point of use.

The agreement has been published alongside the government and NHS’s elective reform plan, which sets out a roadmap to meeting the 18-week standard this Parliament.

NHS Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard, said:

The independent sector is playing a vital role in supporting hospitals to get on top of the backlog, delivering more than 100,000 elective appointment and procedures every week for the NHS – up by more than half since 2021.

But we are under no illusions that we must go further and faster if we want to get the waiting list down to levels last seen in 2015.

This new agreement will enable the NHS to make better use of capacity within the private sector where it is needed most, and help us see more patients, free at the point of use.

David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), said:

This new agreement is a clear statement from government, the NHS and independent sector that independent providers are a critical part of the NHS’s long-term recovery and renewal.

Independent providers already treat millions of NHS patients every year, and this agreement builds on these strong foundations by making full use of existing capacity in the sector, ensuring that patients are offered proper choice of provider as well as supporting the sector to invest in, and deliver, an even wider choice of high quality services to NHS patients to bring waiting times down – all delivered free at the point of use and paid for at NHS prices.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 3 January 2025.

Immediate investment and reforms to improve adult social care, and Louise Casey appointed to head independent commission and build cross-party consensus.

• Government sets out immediate investment and reforms to improve adult social care and support the workforce
• Package of support will deliver the government’s Plan for Change by helping to keep older people out of hospital and living at home independently, for longer
• Thousands more disabled people to receive home adaptations as government improves technology and data sharing between NHS and social care
• Baroness Louise Casey to chair an independent commission into adult social care

Thousands more people with disabilities will be supported to remain in their homes thanks to immediate action government is taking to improve adult social care, support the care workforce and take pressure off the NHS, the government has announced today (3 January 2025).

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting will confirm an £86 million boost to the Disabled Facilities Grant for this financial year – on top of the £86 million announced for next financial year at the Budget, taking the annual total to £711 million – to allow 7,800 more disabled and elderly people to make vital improvements to their home, allowing them to live more independent lives and reducing hospitalisations.

Alongside the funding, the government’s immediate action to support adult social care also includes harnessing the power of care technology to transform care and support older people to live at home for longer, cutting red tape to ensure billions of joint NHS and social care funding is keeping people healthy and taking pressure off the NHS, as well as improved career pathways for care workers and new national standards to ensure providers and families use the best care technology.

Care workers will be better supported to take on further duties to deliver health interventions, such as blood pressure checks, meaning people can receive more routine checks and care at home without needing to travel to healthcare settings. The national career structure for care staff will also be expanded, ensuring there are opportunities for career progression and development pathways. Upskilling carers will not only help boost morale and the retention of care workers, but it will also lead to improved outcomes for patients.

The government will develop a shared digital platform to allow up-to-date medical information to be shared between the NHS and care staff, including when someone last took their medication, to ensure people receive the best possible care.

The changes announced today will support the adult social care sector to give people the best possible care in the most appropriate place. It will also deliver on the government’s Plan for Change by reducing the amount of time patients spend in hospital.

Alongside immediate steps to ease pressure on the sector and improve support for care workers, the government is also kickstarting work on the necessary long-term reform to overhaul social care and address the inherited challenges it faces. As set out in the manifesto, this deep reform will include the creation of a national care service underpinned by national standards, delivering consistency of care across the country. As a first step, the government will launch an independent commission into adult social care to be chaired by The Baroness Casey of Blackstock DBE CB, to inform the work needed to deliver this.

The commission, reporting to the Prime Minister, will work with people drawing on care and support, families, staff, politicians and the public, private and third sector to make clear recommendations for how to rebuild the adult social care system to meet the current and future needs of the population.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

In the first 6 months of this government, work has already begun on stabilising the care sector, investing in prevention, and in carers and care workers. The investment and reforms we’re announcing today will help to modernise social care, get it working more closely with the NHS, and help deliver our Plan for Change.

But our ageing society, with costs of care set to double in the next 20 years, demands longer-term action.

The independent commission will work to build a national consensus around a new national care service able to meet the needs of older and disabled people into the 21st century.

I have written to opposition parties to invite them to take part in the commission’s work, and asked Baroness Louise Casey to build a cross-party consensus, to ensure the national care service survives governments of different shades, just as our NHS has for the past 76 years.

We are appointing one of our country’s leading public service reformers, and Whitehall’s greatest do-er, to finally grasp the nettle on social care reform.

Split over 2 phases, the commission will set out a vision for adult social care, with recommended measures and a roadmap for delivery.

The first phase, reporting in 2026, will identify the critical issues facing adult social care and set out recommendations for effective reform and improvement in the medium term.

It will recommend tangible, pragmatic solutions that can be implemented in a phased way to lay the foundations for a national care service. The recommendations of this phase will be aligned with the government’s spending plans which will be set out at the Spending Review in the spring.

The second phase, reporting by 2028, will make longer-term recommendations for the transformation of adult social care. It will build on the commission’s first phase to look at the model of care needed to address our ageing population, how services should be organised to deliver this, and how to best create a fair and affordable adult social care system for all.

Opposition parties have been invited to take part in the commission, with the aim of building a cross-party and national consensus on the responsibilities the state and individuals have for social care, how to meet the rising demands caused by an ageing population, and how best to structure the national care service.

Baroness Louise Casey of Blackstock said:

Millions of older people, disabled people, their families and carers rely upon an effective adult social care system to live their lives to the full, with independence and dignity.

An independent commission is an opportunity to start a national conversation, find the solutions and build consensus on a long-term plan to fix the system. I am pleased the Prime Minister has asked me to lead this vital work.

Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, said:

Previous attempts to reform adult social care have failed due to a destructive combination of party political point-scoring and short-term thinking.

Baroness Casey’s commission will build cross-party consensus, and will lay the foundations for a national care service that’s rooted in fairness and equality. It will tackle both the immediate issues and the fundamental challenges that must be addressed if we are to get our adult social care system back on its feet and fit for the future.

The Casey Commission is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform adult social care, and to ensure that everyone is able to live with the dignity, independence and quality of life that they deserve.

This plan will help to reduce pressures on the NHS. The uplift in the Disabled Facilities Grant will help to ensure that disabled and elderly people live more independently at home for longer. By improving integrated care, we can keep people out of hospital when they do not need to be there and make sure that when they do need hospital care, they are discharged as soon as they are medically fit to leave, with support to recover.

Separately, the government will shortly publish a new policy framework for the Better Care Fund in 2025 to 2026. The framework has been developed collaboratively between the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and local government and will support local systems to deliver integrated health and social care in a way that supports patients and delivers better outcomes.

The new framework will focus £9 billion of NHS and local government funding on meeting 2 health priorities – moving care from hospital to the community and from sickness to prevention. It will cut red tape for the NHS and local authorities, but will also hold local leaders accountable for improving care. They will be expected to make improvements on emergency admissions, delayed discharges and admissions to long-term residential care.

NHS Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard, said:

A long-term solution for social care is absolutely critical as we build an NHS that is fit for the future through the 10 Year Health Plan, so we really welcome the additional investment to services as well as the independent commission into social care.

Social care has a huge impact on the NHS, with thousands of people in hospitals who are medically fit for discharge the current strain the sector is under has significant consequences for both NHS productivity and performance, so we hope this vital action plan and commitment to create a national care service will both help better support people and ease pressure on hospital wards.

The commission, which is expected to begin in April 2025, will form a key part of the government’s Plan for Change which will turn around health and care services, starting with cutting waiting lists and coupled with reform so they are fit for the future.

The immediate actions to support the social care sector set out today and the work of the commission also come alongside the government’s work to establish the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for care professionals, which we have already introduced legislation for.

Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said:

With 4.7 million unpaid carers in England who are the backbone of care within this country, we very much welcome this announcement. Adult social care is desperately in need of reform and a sustainable future. Families are under intense pressure and providing more care than ever before, many going without breaks, putting their own health at risk and having no choice but to give up work to care.

Good quality and affordable adult social care is critical to the lives of millions of unpaid carers and their families providing care, helping them to juggle work and care, return to work, and protect their health and wellbeing. We look forward to engaging with Baroness Casey and the independent commission to ensure carers’ voices are heard loud and clear and to set out the cross-government support that unpaid carers need.

Kathryn Smith, Chief Executive at the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), said:

With its aim of building cross-party consensus for a future national care service, the Casey Commission has the potential to end decades of gridlock and deliver a lasting settlement that will change the lives of people who draw on care and support for the better.

We look forward to contributing to the commission’s work, including sharing our ideas and good practice examples for improving access to care, adopting new care models and raising quality standards.

Harnessing and scaling innovation will be crucial to navigating the current challenges facing social care as well as future-proofing the system for the long term. This includes addressing the growing demand for social care and people’s evolving care needs, tackling longstanding workforce challenges, and finding a fair and sustainable way of financing social care.

Skills for Care CEO, Oonagh Smyth, said:

Skills for Care welcomes the appointment of Baroness Louise Casey to chair an independent commission to help us to build consensus on the huge potential for adult social care to support people in all our communities to live good lives.

We are pleased to see the commitment to both short-term support and long-term reform for adult social care because we need both, and we welcome the focus on the 1.59 million people working in social care. We look forward to sharing with the commission the recommendations in the workforce strategy that we published last year with key partners from across our diverse sector and are implementing now to ensure that we have the workforce we need for the future.

Skills for Care has already led the work with DHSC on the care workforce pathway, which will help to ensure that the care workforce is valued, developed and rewarded, and on the guiding principles for delegated healthcare activities. We look forward to working with government to implement these initiatives in full over future years.

Jackie O’Sullivan, Executive Director of Strategy and Influence at learning disability charity Mencap, said:

For too long, too many people with a learning disability haven’t received the social care they need to live healthy and happy lives. Today’s announcement marks the start of work towards wholesale social care reform and is a significant step in the right direction.

We welcome that the independent commission will look at social care solutions for working-aged disabled adults, as well as for older people. This will ensure that reforms take account their different needs.

For the 1.5 million people with a learning disability, it is not just a case of ensuring their medical needs are met. The system needs to have sufficient funding and support for staff to help them with every aspect of their life, from socialising and managing money to education and employment.

Past attempts at social care reform have ended up becoming political footballs, so this independent commission is a chance for all parties to work together to deliver the change needed for the millions who currently rely on social care, and all of us who might need it in the future.

Background information

Designed to bolster the adult social care over the next year, the government’s immediate work to support the social care sector plan will:

• give disabled people more independence in their own homes through an immediate in-year uplift to the Disabled Facilities Grant of £86 million. This is on top of the £625 million paid to local authorities in May 2024. The government announced an £86 million additional investment in the Disabled Facilities Grant for the 2025 to 2026 financial year at the Budget (bringing total funding for 2025 to 2026 to £711 million also). This supports the wider announcement of up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025 to 2026 announced at the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement
• reform the Better Care Fund to ensure pooled NHS and local authority funding spent on social care contributes to wider efforts to reduce emergency admissions, delayed discharges and care home admissions
• set new national standards and trusted guidance on the best technology in care, so that people receiving care, their families and care providers can confidently buy what works and get the safest, most effective tech into their homes or services. The standards will help care providers know which technologies are fit for purpose, secure and able to connect with wider NHS and social care systems in the future, in order to encourage investment. They will also help technology suppliers know where to invest to grow their businesses and continue to create innovative products that support people’s care. For example, sensor-based technologies can prevent and reduce the impact of falls, enabling people to live independently for longer and decreasing demand on the NHS and social care. These devices can raise alerts when someone is at risk of a fall and when a fall has taken place, reducing the length of time someone spends waiting to get the help they need. These are already being used by more than 1.7 million people to support their care; government will go further, by making it easier for families to identify and agree which technologies will work best for an elderly person. Through this approach, families and care providers can work more closely to integrate assisted technologies into care plans to help keep patients living at home independently rather than in hospital, which can be distressing and upsetting particularly for elderly and frail patients, while taking up valuable NHS time and resources
• join up health and care services by:
  • supporting care workers to take on further duties to deliver delegated healthcare activities, such as blood pressure checks and other healthcare interventions
  • enabling health and care staff to access real-time social care, GP and hospital data including by joining up digital systems with a shared platform. By the end of the Parliament, we aim for all care providers to be fully digitised, and for staff to have access to essential medical information in a timely way

This will deliver significant benefits to:

• care users, who will not need to repeat information about their care needs multiple times
• care staff, who will not need to wait in a GP phone queue to find information about the people they care for
• the NHS, where information about someone’s recent care history can help a doctor to determine the best treatment

By linking up systems, NHS and care staff will have instant access to the latest information, speeding up and improving care both in hospital and at home.

The government’s immediate work to support the social care sector plan will also professionalise the workforce by expanding the national career structure – ensuring that there are recognised career progression and development pathways, learning and development, encouraging people to stay in the care workforce for longer. Alongside this, we will crack down on abuse of the social care visa and strengthen sanctions for those exploiting the care worker visa route and support workers who have been displaced as a result of action already taken against employers. We will not hesitate to go further to tackle abuse if necessary. The government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025 to 2026, which includes an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant. In total, the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025 to 2026 makes available £69 billion for local government, which is a 3.5% real terms increase in councils’ core spending power on 2024 to 2025.

The government is already taking action to tackle the challenges facing adult social care and taking the first steps towards building a national care service by introducing legislation that will establish the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for care professionals.

We are also increasing the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit by £45 per week – the largest increase to the earnings limit since the benefit’s introduction, which will ensure over 60,000 additional people can claim Carer’s Allowance by 2029 to 2030. We have also announced that Liz Sayce OBE will lead an independent review into Carer’s Allowance overpayments to reduce the risk of them accruing in the future.

The Baroness Casey of Blackstock DBE CB: short biography

Baroness Casey was made head of the Rough Sleepers’ Unit in 1999, where she successfully led the strategy to reduce the numbers of people living on the streets by two-thirds. She went on to hold several leadership positions including the Director of the national Anti-Social Behaviour Unit, the Respect Task Force and the Troubled Families programme, as well as the UK’s first Victims’ Commissioner.

She left the Civil Service in 2017 to establish the Institute for Global Homelessness, with the aim of delivering an international solution to homelessness across the world. In 2020, Baroness Casey returned to public service to support the Government’s COVID-19 rough sleeping response and developed the ‘Everyone In’ strategy.

Baroness Casey has led a series of high-profile reviews including the review into culture and standards in the Metropolitan Police and the Rotherham investigation.

Baroness Casey today will be appointed as a government lead non-executive director (NED), playing a key role in co-ordinating non-executive directors, setting cross-cutting NED priorities, and supporting the Cabinet Office and other departments to deliver the Plan for Change. She will undertake this position alongside her role as Chair of the adult social care commission.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 12 December 2024.

The government has accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) for the spring 2025 COVID-19 vaccination programme.

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

We are committed to making sure the most vulnerable people are protected from COVID-19, and have accepted the independent advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation for the spring 2025 vaccination programme.

I urge those eligible who are yet to come forward for a COVID-19, flu or RSV vaccination this winter to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves, their family, and the NHS.

Background information

The aim of the COVID-19 immunisation programme is to prevent serious disease (hospitalisation and/or mortality) arising from COVID-19.

JCVI advises that the following groups should be offered COVID-19 vaccination in spring 2025:

• adults aged 75 years and over
• residents in a care home for older adults
• individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed (as defined in the ‘immunosuppression’ sections of tables 3 or 4 in the COVID-19 chapter of the green book)

The government is considering JCVI’s advice for autumn 2025 and spring 2026 programmes and will respond in due course.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 12 December 2024.

20 new clinical research hubs to be set up across UK to accelerate research into the next generation of treatments.

• Funded through £100 million of public-private investment from pharmaceutical companies, boosting economic growth
• New centres will shift research into the communities across the country, giving more people the chance to benefit from the latest innovative treatments

Patients across the UK will have greater access to cutting-edge treatments and clinical trials as the government announces £100 million of public-private investment to set up 20 research hubs.

Commercial research delivery centres (CRDCs) will act as regional hubs for pioneering clinical trials, creating opportunities to test innovative new treatments with the latest equipment and technology.

They will be established in all 4 corners of the UK – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

These trials will build UK research delivery leadership into all conditions across multi-specialist centres. This includes cancer and obesity, as well as infectious diseases such as flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The CRDCs will support the rapid set-up of commercial studies so patients can begin accessing treatments undergoing trials as early as possible.

In support of the 10 Year Health Plan, CRDCs will shift clinical trials into community settings, meaning those in under-served regions will be better able to participate in research. This will boost access to new treatments in the trial stage.

Health Minister, Baroness Gillian Merron, said:

This significant private investment in health research is a powerful vote of confidence in the UK’s leading research and life sciences sector.

The new hubs will help shift research into smaller communities, allowing more people to access cutting-edge treatments faster.

Prevention is better than cure – these trials will help unlock the next generation of treatments, boost economic growth and build an NHS fit for the future.

The funding is part of a wider £400 million joint public-private investment scheme – the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicine Pricing, Access and Growth (VPAG) Investment Programme. It is a unique partnership between the government and the pharmaceutical industry to boost the global competitiveness of the UK life sciences sector and stimulate economic growth.

The health of the nation and health of the economy are inextricably linked; the new CRDCs will bolster the UK as a powerhouse for life sciences and med tech, driving economic growth.

The investment boost follows the Plan for Change unveiled by the Prime Minister last week, which sets out ambitious but achievable milestones for the missions that will drive real improvements in the lives of working people.

As part of the 10 Year Health Plan, the government will shift care from treatment to prevention and this investment will support research into preventative vaccines and medicines, ultimately helping people live healthier lives for longer.

Legislation has today been laid that will transform clinical trials in the UK by speeding up trial approvals while protecting patient safety. It is the biggest overhaul of regulations in 20 years and will remove administrative red tape and streamline processes to get clinical trials up and running as quickly as possible. The changes are being introduced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Health Research Authority (HRA).

Science Minister, Lord Vallance, said:

If we are to turn the latest advances in medical science into breakthrough treatments and therapeutics for patients, it is essential that leading businesses and private investment work in partnership with the NHS.

This is especially important for clinical trials where the UK has a strong track record and can again become a leader.

The Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles, said:

Investing in a Wales clinical research centre will help to strengthen our approach to clinical trials and increase the opportunities for people to access new and innovative treatments.

Research studies can deliver real benefits to patient care, and we are committed to working in partnership across the UK to boost commercial global research.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in the Scottish Government, Neil Gray, said:

I am thrilled Scotland will be home to 4 new CRDCs, strengthening our existing clinical research infrastructure and maximising collaboration with partners across the UK.

It shows our continued commitment to supporting our NHS to deliver clinical research most effectively, improving research inclusion and fast-tracking the development of new medicines to patients.

Health Minister for Northern Ireland, Mike Nesbitt, said:

This programme is a significant boost for the research ecosystem in Northern Ireland. The funding of £12.6 million to establish a CRDC will support the Northern Ireland health research workforce to deliver commercial clinical trials to a broader range of people, not only in trusts and research facilities, but also in primary care and in the community.

This will create more opportunities to participate in research for the whole Northern Ireland population and, in particular, for people less frequently represented in research.

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

Clinical trials help improve lives. Boosting the NHS’s capacity to deliver commercial clinical research through these new CRDCs will support recruitment across all communities and bring innovative treatments to patients.

The effects of these centres will be felt right across the 4 nations, bringing investment into the UK’s life sciences sector.

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

The injection of funds from industry into this programme is an excellent example of industry and government working in partnership to improve health and drive growth. We know that industry clinical trials bring enormous benefits to the UK economy, generate revenue for the NHS and lead to improved patient outcomes in research-active hospitals.

The CRDCs are geared to support industry clinical trials across many different care settings in the 4 UK nations. We look forward to the network of new CRDCs working closely with industry to offer more patients across the UK the opportunity to participate in studies of the latest cutting-edge treatments.

Background information

A full list of the centres can be found below:

• University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
• Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
• Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
• Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
• Barts Health NHS Trust
• University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
• Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
• The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
• Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
• One Northern Ireland approach
• NHS Lothian
• NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
• NHS Tayside
• NHS Grampian
• One Wales approach

VPAG is a voluntary agreement between DHSC, NHS England and ABPI, designed to improve patient outcomes, manage the NHS medicines bill, and support the life sciences industry. Launched as part of the scheme, additional investment from pharmaceutical companies will support implementation of the investment programme.

See also UK secures £400 million investment to boost clinical trials.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 28 November 2024.

£22.6 million invested in innovative projects across the country to support unpaid carers as well as people with care needs.

• Technology, digital innovations and projects to support unpaid carers to be rolled out across England
• Funding boost will help give carers much-needed breaks and greater flexibility with caring responsibilities
• It follows the biggest rise in the Carer’s Allowance earnings threshold since the 1970s, allowing unpaid carers to earn more

New technology and innovations in care will improve the lives of unpaid carers and care users following a funding boost announced by the Minister of State for Care today (28 November 2024).

The Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, will announce a £22.6 million boost for initiatives that will improve support for unpaid carers in England, including projects to help give carers much-needed breaks and greater flexibility, as well as technology to make their lives easier, at the National Children and Adult Services Conference on Thursday 28 November.

Money will be released next week through the Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF) to support successful schemes run by local authorities. They include:

• new ways to identify and recognise unpaid carers to ensure nobody is left behind
• digitising carers’ assessments so that they are easier to access
• setting up carers’ support services in hospitals

Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, said:

Unpaid carers are the country’s unsung heroes. They provide invaluable support to vulnerable people every day.

It is vital they too have the support they need so they can look after their own health and wellbeing. This funding will allow local authorities to harness the full potential of technology to give carers more flexibility and help with these crucial roles.

Kathryn Smith, Chief Executive at Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), said:

SCIE is excited to be delivering the ARF support programme to participating local authorities. Nearly 70% of the local projects address the needs of unpaid carers. Others are using innovation to drive greater productivity and to improve people’s care experiences. We expect the learnings from the programme to generate insights about how to scale and spread innovation within social care.

Initiatives that are being rolled out across the country include:

• in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire, local authorities are rolling out technology to enable remote monitoring of people with care needs at night. This helps provide greater flexibility for unpaid carers and more independence for people with care needs
• Worcestershire is deploying video technology to support carers when people are discharged from hospital to allow remote monitoring from healthcare workers, reducing the risk of re-admission
• in Lincolnshire, local authorities are developing a workshop programme of arts, heritage and nature activities for unpaid carers and people with care needs, namely sessions in painting, floral art and printing. They work with unpaid carers to shape the programme with activities of their choice and they are supported with respite care and transport to ensure that unpaid carers can attend the sessions to have a break
• in London, local authorities have set up a Think Carer campaign to help people to recognise themselves as carers and provide additional support through introducing health and lifestyle checks and carers’ counselling services
• Medway Council and Kent County Council are in the early stages of digitising self-assessments so unpaid carers can easily find the information, advice and guidance that they need to make their lives easier. They have also published an employer carers toolkit for local businesses supporting carers in their workforce

The ARF is also supporting some areas in the country to scale up community-based care models. These enshrine ‘home first’ principles that enable people to live independently for longer, such as through the Shared Lives service, which matches people with care needs with approved carers who share their homes.

At the Budget last month, the Chancellor announced the Carer’s Allowance earnings threshold will increase by over £2,300, providing unpaid carers the opportunity to earn more while simultaneously caring for their loved ones. This is the largest increase to the earnings limit since the Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976.

Councils will also receive £1.3 billion of new funding for 2025 to 2026, including at least £600 million for social care. This is alongside an extra £86 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant to bolster support for councils and those with social care needs to prolong their independence and reduce hospitalisations.

The government is determined to tackle the challenges facing adult social care and build a National Care Service so everybody can access the high-quality care they deserve.

Background information

The Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF) provides a total of £42.6 million over 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025 to 123 local projects, covering 149 local authorities and over 35 delivery partners in all 42 integrated care systems across the country. The fund supports innovation and adopts new, creative initiatives to improve support for unpaid carers and in the adult social care sector.

The first tranche of funding, £20 million, was released in 2023 to 2024. The second tranche of funding, £22.6 million, will be released to local authorities next week.

The projects will be evaluated to ensure that we learn from them about how to best support and encourage ongoing innovation in the adult social care sector.