Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 28 December 2023.

The NHS is launching a brand new smokefree campaign to encourage all 5.3 million smokers in England to make a quit attempt this January.

• Former England goalkeeper and ex-smoker David James urges parents to quit for their kids’ sake in poignant video campaign discussing own struggles to kick the habit
• Research shows teens more than three times as likely to smoke if their parents, caregivers or friends do
• Comes as NHS Smokefree campaign encourages 5.3 million smokers in England to make a quit attempt this January to improve health and reduce likelihood of young people starting
• Major new survey shows three quarters of people in England back government’s historic plans to create the first smokefree generation – regardless of age or region
• First 259,000 vapes to be provided to authorities nationwide to support smokers to quit under world-first Swap to Stop scheme

In a hard-hitting campaign film released today, former England goalkeeper and ex-smoker David James joins a number of other ex-smokers to discuss the influence their parents’ smoking had on them taking up the habit themselves, and how being around children was their motivation to quit.

It comes as the NHS launches a brand new smokefree campaign to encourage all 5.3 million smokers in England to make a quit attempt this January – not only for their health, but also to help ensure young people are not being influenced to start smoking.

Research lays bare the stark reality – teens are more than three times as likely to smoke if their parents, caregivers, or friends do. In a new, poignant film released today, the former England goalkeeper discusses how his family members and friends smoked around him when he was a youngster, which led to him taking up the habit. In the film, he describes how smoking impacted his performance on the football world stage.

The UK is now in the lead to be the first country in the world to create a smokefree generation by phasing out the sale of tobacco, and is set to introduce a new law to stop children who turned 14 in 2023 – or are younger – from ever legally being sold tobacco in England.

Three quarters (76%) of people in England support the principle of creating a smokefree generation a YouGov survey – commissioned by campaign group Action on Smoking and Health –has found with only 9% opposing. Support for creating a smokefree generation is similar regardless of age or region.

Former England goalkeeper, David James, said:

I smoked for about 15 years and at the time, it was normal. My mum smoked, my friends smoked, it was around me. It didn’t take long for me to be hooked.

Looking back, it had a huge impact on my health and performance at the time, I wish I never started.

My health, my children and my fans were huge motivators for me to quit – I didn’t want younger people to see me smoking and think it was okay.

David James is joined by a number of other ex-smokers in the film to discuss the influence their parents’ smoking had on them taking up the habit themselves.

They are accompanied by Nick Hopkinson, Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Imperial College London, who was involved with the UK Millennium Cohort Study research, and TV doctor, Dr Sarah Jarvis, who talks through the wider impact of generational smoking.

Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, said:

Smoking causes a range of diseases that affect people throughout their lives.

Stopping people becoming addicted to smoking, and helping those who have been addicted to quit are two of the most important measures we can take to improve health.

Quitting will improve your health whatever your age and no matter how long you have smoked, it’s never too late to stop.

The government continues to go further and faster to support people to quit smoking. Under the world-first Swap to Stop scheme, the government has so far received requests from local authorities nationwide for an unprecedented 259,000 vapes.

Vaping is rightly used by adults as a tool to quit smoking, but the health advice is clear: if you don’t smoke, don’t vape – and children should never vape.

As part of the scheme, almost 1 in 5 of all smokers in England will be provided with a vape starter kit alongside behavioural support to help them quit the habit. This is part of a series of new measures to help the government meet its ambition of making England smokefree.

Public Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said:

Smoking is the biggest preventable killer in the UK and places a huge burden on our NHS.

Cigarettes are responsible for 64,000 deaths a year in England alone – no other consumer product kills up to two-thirds of its users.

That’s why we need to act now to prevent our children from ever lighting one. Our historic Tobacco and Vapes Bill will protect the next generation from the harms of smoking and risk of addiction.

Smoking is still the single largest preventable cause of death in England. Almost every minute of every day someone is admitted to hospital with a smoking related disease.

Smoking costs the economy and wider society £17 billion a year. This includes an annual £14 billion loss to productivity, through smoking related lost earnings, unemployment, and early death, as well as costs to the NHS and social care of £3 billion. This is equivalent to the annual salaries of over half a million nurses, 390,000 GPs, 400,000 police officers, or 400 million GP appointments.

Reducing the prevalence of smoking will reduce those costs, lower pressure on the NHS, and help the economy become more productive.

Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Imperial College London, Nick Hopkinson, said:

We know that most people who smoke start as teenagers, and taking up smoking at a young age is linked to a greater risk of health problems later in life.

Our research shows that the influence of family and friends is a significant driving force in young people taking up cigarettes in the first place, making them more than three times as likely to start smoking if their parents, caregivers or friends do.

We must do what we can now to ensure our children are the first smokefree generation.

Research suggests that people who start smoking under the age of 18 have higher levels of nicotine dependency and are less likely to quit smoking later in life. Imperial College London’s analysis of UK Millennium Cohort Study data also found that 1 in 10 (10.6%) teenagers were regular smokers at the age of 17 – this equates to approximately 160,000 young people in the UK being regular smokers by the age of 17.

Currently, 4 in 5 smokers start before the age of 20 and smoking from a younger age is linked to being more likely to smoke in later years. This has a significant lasting impact, as someone who quits before turning 30 could add 10 years to their life.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said:

Over three quarters of the public support the Prime Minister’s ambition to create a smokefree generation.

Legislation to end cigarette sales to anyone born on or after the 1 January 2009 will be crucial to delivering that ambition. But as role models for their children, parents who smoke can play their part too.

Stopping smoking will not only improve their health and put money in their pocket, but also significantly increase the chances their children will grow up to be part of the smokefree generation.

TV doctor, Dr Sarah Jarvis, said:

Smoking is highly addictive, particularly for our children. We know that most smokers start in their youth and many want to quit – but the addictive nature of cigarettes means they cannot.

But there’s help available for those looking to stop smoking. The NHS has a range of free support, including local stop smoking services.

Better Health offers a range of free quitting support, including a local stop smoking services look-up tool, as well as advice on stop smoking aids including information on how vaping can help you quit smoking.

For free support to quit this January, search ‘Smokefree’.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 21 December 2023.

Minister Maria Caulfield celebrates the work of the Frank Bruno Foundation in supporting people with mental ill health get back into work.

• Mental Health Minister lauds former professional boxer’s efforts to help those with mental ill health stay in work via programme of controlled non-contact boxing classes
• Visit comes as government unveils unprecedented £795 million of additional funding to support thousands of people struggling with mental health back into work over next 5 years
• Government is dedicated to boosting nation’s mental health and helping people nationwide to stay healthy, get off benefits and move into work

Pioneering efforts by the former World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Frank Bruno, who is helping people with mental ill health back into work, have been welcomed by Health Minister Maria Caulfield during a visit to the Frank Bruno Foundation in Northampton.

It follows the government unveiling an unprecedented £795 million of additional funding so thousands of people can be helped back into work over the next 5 years, keeping them out of poverty, improving their wellbeing and raising their living standards.

Funding will expand NHS Talking Therapies, so an additional 384,000 people will benefit from courses of treatment over the next 5 years and increasing the number of sessions available.

The former professional boxer has spoken openly about how exercise has played a vital role in his battle with mental health challenges. He set up the Frank Bruno Foundation in 2017, offering wellbeing programmes and structured non-contact boxing sessions for anyone over the age of 10 years who is experiencing problems with mental ill health.

A stay in work scheme is central to the foundation’s work – aimed at helping professionals with mental health difficulties stay in work and prevent long-term sickness. And an innovative wrap-around service helps professionals deal with other contributing struggles such as housing, money worries, addiction, family difficulties and bereavement.

Mental Health Minister, Maria Caulfield, said:

Frank and his team are doing a great job at getting people fighting fit through boxing classes, using innovative techniques to support local people with their mental health and wellbeing. In particular, it’s great to see his brilliant ‘stay in work’ scheme.

This government is determined to help as many people as possible stay healthy, get off benefits, and move into work. That’s why we’ve just unveiled £795 million of new funding to provide more mental health treatments nationwide and help those with mental health conditions stay in or find work.

Former professional boxer, Frank Bruno, said:

I am honoured that the Frank Bruno Foundation received a visit from Maria Caulfield. We are providing a unique service to the mental health community in Northamptonshire and it is having a really positive impact.

The minister was really interested in our work and I was keen to hear how the government is looking to improve the future of mental health care.

I was delighted the minister got into the boxing ring with me and pledged to continue the fight against mental health challenges. If there was somewhere like this foundation available when I was ill it could have really helped, so we need to see more services like this made available.

Mum of one, Jo, from Northampton, who has bipolar disorder, said:

This place is like a family and has really helped me. I came to the foundation because I suffer from bipolar and coming here has really helped with my confidence and self-esteem. I have used the coping mechanisms I have learned here to help me in my life.

Deni first came to the foundation in May 2021 and is now a full-time member of staff who works as a mental health development officer.

Deni from Northampton, who suffered crippling anxiety attacks and struggled to leave his home, said:

I was really lucky to come here and enrol in programmes – and I now love helping other people. This is a safe place that tests your boundaries but where you also feel comfortable.

With its additional funding, the government is boosting 4 key programmes – NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support, Restart and Universal Support – to benefit up to 1.1 million people over the next 5 years and help those with mental or physical health conditions stay in or find work.

NHS Talking Therapies provides evidence-based psychological therapies, including cognitive behavioural therapy, for treatment of mild and moderate mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety disorders.

The additional £795 million investment will also fund an additional 100,000 Individual Placement and Support places over 5 years, which will help people with severe mental illness gain and retain paid employment.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 7 December 2023.

Plans to make better use of pharmacies, improve access to primary care and maximise the contribution of pharmacy professionals set out in new consultation.

• Skilled pharmacy technicians to play greater role supporting customers and patients with the safe dispensing of medicines as part of the Primary Care Recovery Plan
• Rule change designed to free up pharmacists to provide more clinical care
• Consultation is latest step in improving access to care for patients and releasing capacity in the wider NHS

Plans to make better use of pharmacies, improve access to primary care and maximise the contribution of pharmacy professionals across healthcare have been set out in a government consultation, launched today.

As part of its Primary Care Recovery Plan the government is considering changes to medicine supervision requirements in pharmacies.

Currently, the preparation, assembly, dispensing, sale and supply of pharmacy and prescription only medicines can only be carried out by, or under the supervision of, a pharmacist. However, as registered and regulated health professionals, pharmacy technicians are qualified to work without direct supervision.

These proposals would allow pharmacists to safely delegate more allowing them to spend more time delivering patient-facing clinical services – in turn freeing up more appointments in general practice.

Health Minister Andrea Leadsom said:

This is about making the most of the talents of our excellent and highly trained pharmacy staff, to benefit them and their patients, and improve service delivery more generally.

By giving pharmacy technicians the chance to use their skills in a safe way and take on more responsibility for dispensing, pharmacists will have more time to carry out the clinical assessments they are trained to do.

These include providing advice on oral contraception, common conditions and blood pressure tests rather than patients having to book an appointment at a general practice.

Following the 12-week consultation and subsequent work by regulators and professional bodies, a pharmacist would be able to authorise pharmacy technicians to run a dispensary with reference to a pharmacist only where necessary.

Extensive engagement with the sector and profession has informed these proposals which have the support of the four Chief Pharmaceutical Officers of the UK.

In a joint statement, the four Chief Pharmaceutical Officers, said:

These proposals will improve future patient care across the four UK nations by making appropriate, safe and productive use of pharmacy technicians’ knowledge and skills while at the same time enabling pharmacists to deliver a wider range of clinical services to support patients in hospitals and community pharmacies.

Recognising and more effectively using the skills of pharmacy technicians will enable pharmacists to spend a greater proportion of their time delivering patient-facing clinical services – using their training and expertise, including prescribing, to improve healthcare outcomes for patients and local communities.

This will improve career progression for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and ensure they are using their training and skills to contribute to the best of their professional ability as part of the NHS team.

The government’s Primary Care Recovery Plan, announced in May 2023, is designed to stop the 8am GP appointment rush, make it easier to get an appointment at a general practice and develop Pharmacy First to make the most of trained pharmacist staff. This consultation is delivering on the government’s commitment to provide greater flexibility to community pharmacies about how they deploy staff and release pharmacists’ time for more patient-facing services.

The proposals aim to:

• Enable pharmacists to authorise registered pharmacy technicians to perform tasks that would otherwise need to be performed by or under the supervision of pharmacists;
• Let registered pharmacy technicians take primary responsibility for the preparation and assembly of medicinal products in highly specialised sterile manufacturing units in hospitals;
• Allow checked and bagged prescribed medicines to be handed out in a retail pharmacy in the absence of a pharmacist – where authorised by a pharmacist. This aims to bring an end to situations where a patient cannot pick up their prescription when the pharmacist is at lunch or otherwise unavailable.

There are over 67,000 pharmacists registered in the UK who will be empowered to have greater say in how staff are deployed and how medicines are dispensed. This would represent a significant shift in how medicines dispensing is supervised and help make pharmacy services more efficient and fit for the future.

This follows the recent consultation launched to enable pharmacy technicians to supply and administer medicines under a patient group direction – a written instruction that permits listed healthcare professionals to supply or administer medicines to make it easier for patients to get the medicines they need when they need them. Responses to that consultation are being considered.

Pharmacy First plans – backed by up to £645 million – mean that from 1 December 2023 thousands of women are able to get their contraceptive pill from their local pharmacy with up to 25% of all women on oral contraception able to benefit from this new service.

Pharmacists are also increasing the number of life-saving blood pressure checks given to at-risk patients over the next year with a commitment to deliver 2.5 million a year by Spring 2025 – up from 900,000 carried out last year.  It is estimated this could prevent more than 1,350 heart attacks and strokes in the first year.

In addition, from early next year patients will be able to get treatment for seven common conditions directly from a pharmacy, without the need for a GP appointment or prescription. The new service will cover sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bites, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women.

At the same time the government has reached its commitment of 50 million more GP appointments, as well as recruiting over 34,000 additional direct patient care staff working in general practice and committed to a 50% increase in the number of GP trainees.

Recognising the importance of strengthening the depth of talent in pharmacy teams, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, backed by over £2.4 billion funding, sets out the ambition to increase training places for pharmacists by nearly 50% to around 5,000 by 2031/32, and to grow the number of pharmacy technicians. There is further potential to continue to expand training via an apprenticeship route for pharmacy technicians.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 6 December 2023.

Consultation response published setting out plans to make visiting a fundamental standard of care.

• Paper published today confirms intention to bolster visiting access
• Plans recognise the importance of visiting for patients, care home residents and their loved ones
• Care Quality Commission inspections will monitor if care providers are meeting visit obligations

Visits to see loved ones in care homes, hospitals and hospices will be better protected under plans announced by the government.

Changes will be made to the law so that visits are a fundamental standard of care, putting them on par with having access to food and drink and properly qualified staff.

The Care Quality Commission will have a clear mandate to check that providers are meeting these obligations, so that those in care maintain vital connections with family and friends.

Minister for Care, Helen Whately, said:

Spending time with loved ones makes all the difference to the wellbeing of people in care homes and hospices. Of course, keeping people safe from infections is important, but this is about striking the right balance.

I know how painful it can be when you’re stopped from seeing someone who means everything to you, especially when you don’t know how much time they have left. It’s something I don’t want anyone to have to go through again. That’s why we’re changing the law to recognise just how much visiting matters.

Visiting was restricted at the height of the pandemic to prevent the spread of Covid and keep people safe, but as restrictions eased the guidance for visiting in hospital and care settings changed accordingly.

The majority of settings adhered to the guidance but there have been reports of people being denied access to family members and loved ones, so the government has acted to make sure expectations around visits are clear to providers.

Minister for Health and Secondary Care, Andrew Stephenson, said:

Being able to visit a loved one or go with them to an outpatient appointment can make a huge difference and there should be no reason to deny either the visitor or patient the joy or reassurance of that face-to-face connection.

Most settings quickly accommodated visiting again once we came out of the worst of the pandemic, but we need everyone to do so, which is why we’re putting a clear system in place to make sure care homes, hospitals and hospices are giving visiting the importance it deserves.

The plans announced today have been set out in the Department of Health and Social Care’s response to ‘Visiting in care homes, hospitals, and hospices’ consultation.

This consultation proposed introducing visiting as a new fundamental standard in the CQC regulations, and today’s response confirms that secondary legislation will take that forward.

This will provide the Care Quality Commission with a clear direction to identify a visiting breach by a healthcare setting and apply more pressure to providers who may not be following government visiting guidance.

Hilda Hayo, CEO of Dementia UK and Chief Admiral Nurse:

During the pandemic, limits to visiting rights impacted people living with dementia who weren’t able to see their loved ones. We hope that the introduction of legislation designed to protect visiting rights and maintain meaningful contact will limit the harm that isolation can cause.

As these proposals are put in place, we hope that the new rights are accompanied by safe processes and protocols around visits in all health and social care settings, as well as clear communication with families and carers.

These changes will not only cover inpatients, they will also take into account the need to enable patients attending hospice and hospital outpatient appointments, emergency department and diagnostic services to be accompanied by someone if they need or wish to be.

The government will take steps to lay regulations as soon as possible.

Background information

The consultation response can be found here.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 6 December 2023.

Public consultation on historic proposals draws to a close, with roughly 25,000 responses from teachers, parents, healthcare professionals and public.

• UK in lead to be first country in the world to create a smokefree generation by phasing out the sale of tobacco
• Government taking long-term decisions to protect children and an entire generation from the harms of smoking as they grow older

Plans to introduce the most significant public health intervention in a generation and phase out smoking are progressing at pace, as the government’s consultation closes today.

Amassing roughly 25,000 responses – including from healthcare professionals, public health experts, academics, teachers, parents and teenagers – officials will analyse results and ministers will set out next steps in the coming weeks, including details on the forthcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill recently announced in the King’s Speech.

The majority of the public are behind the plans, and the government is determined to take vital action quickly to protect future generations from the harms of tobacco addiction.

The government’s response to the consultation will be published ahead of the Bill’s introduction to Parliament in the new year.

Public Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said:

As a former teenage smoker, these historic plans might just have prevented me from ever lighting a cigarette.

Smoking is the biggest preventable killer in the UK, and that’s why we need to push ahead at pace with our plans to protect today’s children, and create the first smokefree generation while cracking down on youth vaping.

We are taking the long-term health decisions needed to safeguard the next generation from the harms of smoking and risk of addiction.

Government plans include introducing a new law to stop children who turned 14 this year or are younger from ever legally being sold tobacco in England. There is also a worrying rise in vaping among children and the government will therefore also introduce measures to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children, while ensuring they remain available as a quit tool for smokers.

This will prevent thousands of children from starting smoking in the coming years and potentially having their lives cut short as a result.

The UK is now proudly set to be the first country in the world to introduce such a landmark law on smoking.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said:

With the overwhelming support of the public the UK has picked up the baton to become the first country in the world to create a smokefree generation.

In the twentieth century the UK, home to the tobacco industry, had the highest smoking rates in the world, in the twenty first we are now on track to lead the way out of the tobacco epidemic.

This will herald the start of a new era in tobacco control, where the end of the smoking is finally in sight.

Smoking is the UK’s biggest preventable killer, causing around 1 in 4 cancer deaths and 64,000 deaths in England alone, costing the economy and wider society £17 billion each year. No other consumer product kills up to two-thirds of its users and the plans will save tens of thousands of lives and save the NHS billions of pounds.

People take up cigarettes when they are young.

Four in five smokers have started by the time they are 20 and although the vast majority try to quit, many due to the addictive nature of cigarettes.

Cathy Hunt, 58, is a mum of four from County Durham. She was diagnosed with lung cancer and had half a lung removed in 2015 just two days before her 50th birthday. She underwent surgery again in 2022 when the cancer returned, and in June this year had a kidney removed due to cancer.

Cathy said:

I am absolutely over the moon about the government’s plan to raise the age of sale for tobacco one year every year until we see the end of smoking, and all my family and friends are too.

Smoking isn’t a lifestyle choice but a lethal addiction which traps hundreds of new victims in its claws every day, victims who struggle to escape. I only managed to stop once I found out I had lung cancer but wish now I could turn the clock back to the time I started smoking as a child aged 11.

That’s also why I’m so pleased the government is providing more funding for anti-smoking campaigns, stop smoking services and enforcement to help stop the start and start the stop for those already addicted to smoking like I was.

Gower Tan, Cancer Research UK ambassador and campaigns officer, said:

I started smoking aged 13, and this deadly addiction took me over 25 years to quit. Having watched my dad – a lifelong smoker – die of lung cancer, I understand the devastating harms of tobacco and I support vital legislation on the age of sale. Knowing my children and future generations will not suffer the tragic consequences caused by smoking is a legacy we could all be proud of.

To tackle youth vaping, the government’s plans include a range of measures to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children, including restricting vapes flavours, regulating point of sale displays in stores that sell vapes, and regulating vape packaging.

Stakeholder reaction:

Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, Michelle Mitchell, said:

“Smoking is the biggest cause of cancer in the UK, responsible for around 150 cancers a day. Raising the age of sale for tobacco products is one of the biggest opportunities we have had to help prevent cancer in over a decade.

“This consultation is a vital step on the road to the first ever smokefree generation. If the government takes decisive action in all UK nations, the UK can phase smoking out for good and protect the next generation from a potential lifetime of addiction and disease.”

John Herriman, chief executive at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said:

“It comes as no surprise that responses have been submitted in the thousands to this consultation that poses the biggest positive change to public health in our lifetime. Most people have been affected by smoking either directly or indirectly, and smoking related illnesses put a huge strain on the NHS. In time, this will free up much needed resources and will help safeguard future generations to come.”

“Effective policing of the age of sale of tobacco will be critical to the effectiveness of the government’s aim of eliminating smoking for future generations and Trading Standards teams working in local communities across the UK will play a central role in making this happen. We look forward to working with DHSC to ensure that we have the tools and resources needed to support businesses and educate consumers as the country phases out tobacco products for good.

Henry Gregg, director of external affairs for Asthma + Lung UK:

“Creating a smoke-free generation is one of the most impactful things we could do to improve the health of future generations. We know that many people with a lung condition and their families strongly support these proposals, to prevent others from going through what they have experienced. We urge the government to ensure these measures are implemented in full to save thousands of lives.

“Smoking remains the biggest cause of lung disease deaths in the UK, with tobacco costing the NHS £2.5 billion every year and £1.2 billion in social care costs.  More than 8 out of 10 smokers take up smoking before the age of 20 and become addicted, so proposals to gradually increase the smoking age to stop younger people from ever taking up smoking is an opportunity for the government to lead the way on measures that will protect future generations from developing lung conditions caused by this deadly addiction”.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 5 December 2023.

A new research project has been announced to evaluate an expansion of the hugely successful HIV opt-out testing programme to new sites across England.

• A new £20 million National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) project will support the government’s ambition to end new transmissions of HIV within England by 2030 and get people into the right care
• Undiagnosed HIV, hepatitis B and C will be picked up in new testing programme in 46 more emergency departments in 32 high HIV prevalence areas of England
• Expansion comes after success of schemes in extremely high prevalence areas of HIV, identifying almost 4,000 people with a bloodborne virus (BBV) since April 2022

A new research project to evaluate an expansion of the hugely successful HIV opt-out testing programme to new sites across England, has today been announced (29 November 2023). Given the success of the existing testing programme, this new initiative is expected to save, and improve the quality of, thousands of lives.

Backed by £20 million of NIHR funding, the research will evaluate the testing programme in 46 new sites across England. Expansion of the programme could identify a significant proportion of the estimated 4,500 people living with undiagnosed HIV – preventing new transmissions and saving more lives through testing people’s blood already being taken in emergency departments for bloodborne viruses (BBVs), including HIV and hepatitis B and C.

Last year, as part of the government’s world leading HIV action plan for England, NHS England launched the BBVs opt-out testing programme, with funding available for 34 emergency departments in areas with the highest prevalence of HIV. Today’s announcement will mean the programme will be expanded as part of a research evaluation in all 46 emergency departments covering 32 areas with high prevalence of HIV.

It will support the UK’s progress in being a world leader in the fight against HIV – and in meeting its goal to end new transmissions of HIV within England by 2030.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said:

Less than 3 decades ago, HIV could be a death sentence. It was often – and wrongly – considered a source of shame, and diagnoses were hidden from friends, family and society. But today, thanks to effective treatments, it is possible to live a long and healthy life with HIV.

As well as promoting prevention for all, the more people we can diagnose, the more chance we have of ending new transmissions of the virus and the stigma wrongly attached to it.

This programme, which improves people’s health and wellbeing, saves lives and money.

The evaluation of the expansion of opt-out testing will help reach the government’s bold ambitions of reducing new HIV transmissions by 80% in 2025 and ending new transmissions by 2030, according to an update on the HIV action plan for England.

The existing programme in extremely high prevalence areas has been shown to be highly effective in identifying HIV in people unaware they had the virus and re-engaging those who are not in HIV care. The programme provides linkage to medication, a treatment and care pathway which enables people to live long and healthy lives, where the virus is undetectable.

During the first 18 months of the BBVs opt-out testing programme, 33 emergency departments conducted 1,401,866 HIV tests, 960,328 hepatitis C virus (HCV) tests and 730,137 hepatitis B virus (HBV) tests significantly increasing the number of bloodborne virus tests conducted in England each year.

It has identified:

• 934 people living with HIV or people disengaged from HIV care
• 2,206 people living with HBV and 388 disengaged from HBV care
• 867 people living with HCV and 186 disengaged from HCV care

Professor Kevin Fenton, government chief adviser on HIV and chair of the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group, said:

We know HIV is most commonly unknowingly spread by people who don’t know their status. Knowledge is power in preventing HIV transmission and accessing life-saving care.

The core ambitions of our world-renowned HIV action plan are to intensify HIV prevention, expand HIV testing, strengthen linkage to and retention in high quality HIV care, and tackle HIV stigma and discrimination. We will not give up this fight until there are no new HIV transmissions in England.

The opt-out testing programme will boost our progress to identify the estimated 4,500 people who could be living with undiagnosed HIV and help us ensure we meet our 2030 ambition, with the possibility to save thousands of lives in the process.

Outside of BBVs opt-out testing, progress is also being made. There are fewer people living with undiagnosed HIV and, as a result of effective treatments, it is possible to live a long and healthy life with HIV. Most people with HIV diagnoses are receiving world class treatment, making it undetectable.

There is much to celebrate, ahead of World Aids Day (1 December), on the government’s progress towards its action plan ambitions, with fewer than 4,500 people living with undiagnosed HIV – the lowest it’s ever been since recording begun – and extremely high levels of antiretroviral treatment, used to treat HIV, and viral suppression.

In 2022, England once again achieved the UN AIDS 95-95-95 target nationally: 95% of people living with HIV being diagnosed, 98% of those diagnosed being on treatment and 98% of those on treatment having an undetectable viral load – meaning the levels of HIV are so low that the virus cannot be passed on.

In a speech this evening at the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS event, Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins thanked the ongoing dedication from NHS staff, HIV charities, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), local government and professional bodies and campaigners, which have worked tirelessly to support the government in achieving its goal to end new transmissions.

People with reactive or positive tests results are linked to care and offered information and support through community organisations.

The opt-out strategy for BBVs testing is important to address health inequalities by reaching groups, such as those from ethnic minorities or women, who are less likely to attend sexual health services and may be disproportionately affected both by higher rates of some BBVs and stigma associated with BBVs testing or diagnosis.

Opt-out testing additionally provides a valuable opportunity to re-engage with people who have previously been diagnosed with a BBV but who are not accessing treatment or care.

Anne Aslett, CEO of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, said:

The Elton John AIDS Foundation launched the first HIV Social Impact Bond in 2018 because too many vulnerable people were being left behind. Together with our partners, we identified opt-out testing in emergency departments as an effective and cost-saving way of ensuring people living with HIV get the treatment they needed.

We warmly welcomed the government’s decision to expand this successful method of HIV diagnosis to 33 sites in April last year and results from the last 18 months demonstrate how incredibly important this approach is to ensure no one is left behind. Today’s announcement to further expand opt-out testing to 46 additional emergency departments is another fantastic and very significant step towards meeting the goal of ending new HIV transmissions by 2030 and above all else will save lives.

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

Today’s announcement is the testing turbo boost that’s needed if we are to end new HIV cases by 2030. It’s hugely significant that an additional 2 million HIV tests will be carried out in A&Es over the next year thanks to a temporary but wholesale expansion of opt-out HIV testing to 46 additional hospitals. With this landmark investment, opt-out HIV testing in A&Es will account for more than half of all tests in England. This major ramping up of testing is absolutely crucial to find the 4,400 people still living with undiagnosed HIV.

The evidence is crystal clear: testing everyone having a blood test in emergency departments for HIV works. It helps diagnose people who wouldn’t have been reached via any other testing route and who have often been missed before. It also saves the NHS millions, relieves pressure on the health service and helps to address inequalities with those diagnosed in A&E more likely to be of black ethnicity, women and older people.

Professor Lucy Chappell, chief scientific adviser at DHSC and CEO of NIHR, said:

Health and care research is at the heart of every significant improvement we make to testing, treating and curing illness and disease. It brings huge benefits to patients and the public.

By expanding this already successful opt-out scheme as part of a research project, not only are we delivering it to new parts of the country, but we can gather more useful evidence for the future.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said:

The NHS’s opt-out testing programme in emergency departments has meant we have identified and treated thousands more people living with HIV and hepatitis B and C, particularly from groups who are less likely to come forward for routine testing.

Without this NHS testing programme, these people may have gone undiagnosed for years, but they now have access to the latest and most effective life-saving medication, helping to prevent long term health issues and reducing the chances of unknown transmission to others.

This NHS success story is a prime example of how we are taking advantage of every opportunity to support people to stay well, prevent illness and save lives.

Dr Alison Brown, interim head of HIV surveillance at UKHSA, said:

We know that HIV testing saves lives and prevents onward transmission, but progress has been uneven. The continued lower rates of HIV testing and PrEP among women and ethnic minority groups is concerning.

This research project will help provide greater access to testing of HIV, as well as hepatitis B and C, among populations who may not otherwise access testing. It will also help England meets its ambition to end HIV transmission by 2030.

Florence Eshalomi MP, co-chair of the APPG on HIV/AIDS, said:

We are delighted that the government today has taken concrete steps to increase and normalise HIV testing in the UK. The APPG believes that as Parliamentarians we should play our part in addressing this epidemic and this is something we have been calling for following the successful roll-out of opt-out to extremely high prevalence areas.

Professor Yvonne Gilleece, chair of the British HIV Association (BHIVA), said:

BHIVA very much welcomes this expansion of the testing programme to other emergency departments in England. It will save lives by identifying many more people who are not yet aware that they have been at risk of acquiring HIV, or other blood borne viruses.

Today we are able to provide effective HIV treatment, which will also prevent onward transmission of the virus, and so take us a step nearer to reaching the 2030 target.

Deborah Gold, chief executive of National AIDS Trust, said:

We are delighted to warmly welcome today’s announcement that HIV testing will now routinely take place in every emergency department in all 33 areas of England with high prevalence of HIV for the next year. This decision, which will more than double HIV testing capacity in England, means that more people will be diagnosed with HIV faster, and will be able to access life-saving treatment which will also stop the virus being passed on.

Routine HIV testing in emergency departments is especially good at finding people who would otherwise not receive a test, most often from marginalised communities who are being left behind in our progress on HIV. With HIV diagnoses rising among women, and stubbornly high levels of late diagnosis among women and people from black African communities, this announcement could not be more timely in making sure we don’t miss vital opportunities to diagnose someone who needs access to HIV care.

This important new research programme, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, will deliver opportunities for greater insights and shared learning alongside their crucial wider HIV research programme.

Dr Claire Dewsnap, president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), said:

The expansion of the HIV opt-out emergency department testing programme to include high HIV prevalence areas is hugely welcome and a meaningful step towards our shared ambition to eliminate new cases of HIV in England by 2030.

BASHH is pleased to see the government demonstrating their commitment towards achieving this ambition by allowing those in areas of high HIV prevalence to access the successful scheme. We are grateful to all the hard-working NHS, UKHSA and DHSC staff and politicians who have brought this initiative forward. It is important to thank the vital work of advocacy groups in pursuing the amplification of the testing programme that has already seen thousands of people benefit from its implementation.

Amanda Healy, policy lead for health protection for the Association of Directors of Public Health, said:

Identifying new HIV and hepatitis cases is a crucial part of meeting the target to end HIV transmission by 2030 and today’s announcement is very welcome news.

In addition to identifying new cases so that treatment can be given to avoid illness, it is imperative that efforts to prevent blood borne viruses, including increasing the uptake of PrEP, are continued.

James Woolgar, current chair of the English HIV and Sexual Health Commissioners Group, said:

This is certainly very welcome news in our aim to end all new cases of HIV. The roll out of opt-out emergency department testing will help our collective aim in identifying those people living with undiagnosed HIV, and supporting them into treatment and care. As commissioners, we will work hard with local trusts and charitable sector leads to make this a success.

Background information

The following areas will be covered by the extension of the HIV opt-out testing programme:

• University Hospital Coventry
• Leicester Royal Infirmary
• Luton and Dunstable Hospital
• New Cross Hospital (London)
• Queen’s Medical Centre (Nottingham)
• Milton Keynes University Hospital
• Southend University Hospital and Mid Essex Hospital
• Wexham Park Hospital and Frimley Park Hospital
• Royal Berkshire Hospital
• City Hospital and Sandwell General Hospital (West Bromwich)
• Southampton General Hospital
• Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s University Hospital
• Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Good Hope Hospital and Heartlands Hospital
• Royal Derby Hospital and Burton Hospital
• Royal Bournemouth Hospital and Poole Hospital
• Bristol Royal Infirmary and Weston General Hospital
• Queen Alexandra Hospital (Portsmouth)
• Peterborough City Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital
• Walsall Manor Hospital (Birmingham)
• Basildon University Hospital
• Bedford Hospital
• Royal Liverpool University Hospital and University Hospital Aintree
• Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital
• Northampton General Hospital
• Royal Oldham Hospital and Fairfield General Hospital
• Tameside General Hospital
• Northern General Hospital (Sheffield)
• Royal Bolton Hospital
• Kettering General Hospital
• Medway Maritime Hospital
• Royal Victoria Infirmary (Newcastle)
• Conquest Hospital (Hastings) and Eastbourne District General Hospital
• Southmead Hospital (Bristol)

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 3 December 2023.

Secretary of State aims to make health and social care system faster, simpler and fairer for patients.

• Health and Social Care Secretary sets out intention to make the system faster, simpler and fairer for patients
• Victoria Atkins thanks staff for a week of delivery, in which 2 manifesto commitments were met

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins has thanked health, social care and research staff for delivering on patients’ priorities, as she set out her commitment to make the health and social care system faster, simpler and fairer for patients.

The Secretary of State has paid tribute to NHS, social care and research staff for their hard work in a week the government delivered 50,000 additional nurses and 50 million more GP appointments – both manifesto commitments – and rolled out lifesaving HIV opt-out testing to 46 areas across England.

Her words came days after pharmacies across the country began offering new contraceptive services and additional blood pressure checks, and after a breakthrough in talks to end consultant strikes, which saw the British Medical Association consultants committee agree to put an offer on contract reform to its members.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said:

Since joining the department, I have been bowled over by the way health and social care staff just keep on delivering for patients. The important milestones we’ve reached this week – reaching 50,000 additional nurses and 50 million more GP appointments – demonstrate real progress.

I have spent the past few weeks meeting doctors, nurses, GPs, pharmacists and other health workers and heard wonderful stories about how they have gone above and beyond to deliver outstanding care for patients and cut waiting lists.

But I have also heard about their frustrations and where they feel they are not able to deliver the best possible care or where prevention or early intervention could have made a real difference. That is why I am committed to making health and social care services faster, simpler and fairer.

We face a difficult winter ahead. And though our early winter planning is seeing some results we know there is much more to do. But having seen what our excellent staff can do I am confident that with the government’s support we can continue to deliver for patients over the coming months.

The Health and Social Care Secretary has committed to making health and social care services:

• faster for patients, by making it easier to get treatment locally, improving A&E performance and cutting waiting lists
• simpler for patients, with joined-up, integrated care, and simpler for staff, by reducing bureaucracy and giving them the latest technology to free up their time to care for patients
• fairer, ensuring that:
  • children are protected from health harms
  • health outcomes are not determined by where you live
  • government supports older people to maintain their independence for longer
  • government delivers a more productive NHS that is fairer for taxpayers

She added that she would continue to work with the NHS to manage the ongoing winter pressures. The government prepared for winter earlier than ever before and data released by the NHS on Thursday shows the government is making good progress.

Compared to the same time last year, ambulance handover delays have fallen by 28%, thousands more 111 calls are being answered within 60 seconds, and there were nearly 1,500 more hospital beds available.

The Secretary of State said:

We face a difficult winter ahead. And though our early winter planning is seeing some results we know there is much more to do. But having seen what our excellent staff can do I am confident that with the government’s support we can continue to deliver for patients over the coming months.

The Health and Social Care Secretary was appointed on 13 November 2023. She has now set out her priorities in a week in which the government and NHS hit a number of major delivery milestones:

• NHS England data published on Thursday (30 November 2023) showed there were 51,245 additional nurses in September 2023 compared to 2019 – hitting the government’s manifesto commitment to recruit an additional 50,000 nurses 6 months early
• NHS England data also showed that for the year to October 2023, there were 51 million additional general practice appointments delivered when compared to October 2019, meeting another manifesto commitment
• on Monday (27 November 2023) the government announced that it had put forward an offer that will modernise the consultant contract and reform consultants’ pay structure, paving the way to end consultant strikes. The British Medical Association and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association will put the deal to their memberships in the coming weeks
• on Wednesday (29 November 2023) the Secretary of State announced funding for a research project to evaluate the rollout of the hugely successful HIV opt-out testing programme to 46 new sites across England
• on Friday (1 December 2023) pharmacies across England began offering the new contraceptive services announced recently as part of Pharmacy First. This is part of the NHS and government’s primary care recovery plan, announced by the head of the NHS and the Prime Minister in May, which committed to making it quicker and easier for millions of people to access healthcare on their high street

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 30 November 2023.

It marks the largest ever sustained growth in the NHS nursing workforce, with the expanded workforce delivering hundreds of thousands of extra appointments.

• More than 50,000 extra nurses are working in the NHS compared to September 2019
• Government hits target delivering largest ever sustained growth in NHS nursing workforce

Data published today (30 November 2023) by NHS England shows there were 51,245 additional nurses in September 2023 compared to 2019. This means the number of nurses have increased from 300,904 in 2019 to over 352,000 – hitting the government’s manifesto commitment to recruit an additional 50,000 nurses 6 months early.

This is the largest ever sustained growth in the NHS nursing workforce, with the expanded workforce delivering hundreds of thousands of extra appointments, helping to tackle waiting lists and improve access for patients.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:

There are 50,000 extra nurses in the NHS caring for our loved ones, delivering extra appointments and improving access for patients.

We have delivered on our promise but we won’t stop here. The first ever NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will help to retain our current workforce, reform clinical practice, and deliver the biggest training expansion in NHS history, almost doubling the number of adult nurse training places by 2031.

These additional nurses will help support cutting waiting lists – which is one of our 5 priorities – and getting patients the care they need, when they need it.

Building on this achievement, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will further expand the nursing workforce, with additional training numbers, improved retention and the introduction of new roles to support our hard-working nurses.

The 50,000 nurses commitment has been achieved through boosting training and education routes into nursing, ethically recruiting internationally and actions to improve the retention of the existing workforce. This includes a financial support package for nursing students – the NHS Learning Support Fund – providing eligible nursing, midwifery and allied health professions students with non-repayable grants of at least £5,000 per academic year to ensure course sustainability.

The data also shows there are over 1.3 million staff working in NHS trusts and other core organisations in England, 68,900 (5.6%) more than a year ago.

There are almost 7,300 (5.6%) more doctors in the NHS compared to September last year.

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan – backed by over £2.4 billion over 5 years – sets out three priority areas to train, retain and reform the health workforce.

The plan will significantly expand domestic education, training and recruitment and will deliver more nurses than ever before. It will almost double the number of adult nurse training places by 2031, with around 24,000 more nurse and midwife training places a year by 2031. This will include over 5,000 more mental and learning disability nurses a year.

By improving culture, leadership and wellbeing, the government is aiming to ensure up to 130,000 fewer staff leave the NHS over the next 15 years. For example, the NHS and government will improve flexible opportunities for prospective retirees to keep them in the NHS workforce for longer, and make it easier for those who have already left to come back in flexible, contracted roles or as a temp.

Taken together, these recruitment and retention measures will mean the health service has at least an extra 170,000 more nurses in place by 2036 to 2037.

Additionally, the plan commits to reforming training to support education expansion. The government will expand enhanced, advanced and associate roles to offer modernised careers, including increasing training places for nursing associates and is also working with regulators and others to explore how nursing students can gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need to practise safely and competently in the NHS in less time.

Background information

The 50,000 nurses target includes nurses working in the NHS in England, including in GP settings. This covers all NHS providers across acute, community, mental health and ambulance settings. It does not include non-NHS providers, including social care providers and social enterprises. For GP settings, it covers all nurses employed in general practice.

The 50,000 nurses are full time equivalent (FTE) rather than headcount. This means that if a nurse works part time, they will be recorded as less than one FTE nurse (with the number depending on the degree to which they are part time).

While nursing associates are a career progression to become a registered nurse they do not count towards the 50,000 target. Additionally, midwives, allied health professions and health visitors are not part of the registered nurse expansion work.

The baseline for the target is numbers of FTE nurses in the NHS as of 30 September 2019. More details are available in the 50,000 Nurses Programme: delivery update.

The table below shows the regional breakdowns of nurse numbers across England.

NHS England region	Sept 2019	Sept 2023	Change since Sept 2019	% change since Sept 2019
England	300,904	352,149	51,245	17.0%
London	54,036	61,689	7,653	14.2%
South West	27,789	33,056	5,267	19.0%
South East	38,887	47,664	8,777	22.6%
Midlands	55,596	64,891	9,295	16.7%
East of England	28,649	33,350	4,701	16.4%
North West	46,061	54,608	8,546	18.6%
North East and Yorkshire	49,885	56,891	7,006	14.0%

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 30 November 2023.

More than 50 million additional general practice appointments made available after government fulfils its pledge months early.

• Latest data shows over 50 million more appointments compared to October 2019
• Confirms government has met manifesto commitment
• News comes as NHS England data shows over 50,000 extra nurses in NHS

Data published today by NHS England shows that for the year to October 2023, there were 50.9 million additional general practice appointments delivered when compared to October 2019, meeting a key government commitment set out in 2019.

The announcement comes as separate data also published today shows that compared to September 2019, there are over 50,000 additional nurses working in the NHS. This meets another of the government’s targets.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said:

We owe a debt of gratitude to all the staff working in general practices for their support and commitment to their patients and for achieving the target of 50 million additional appointments months ahead of schedule.

Our primary care recovery plan is going even further with more appointments, more staff and greater support from pharmacies – backed by funding – meaning we can offer the primary care patients need.

In the 12 months to October 2023, 358 million general practice appointments, including COVID-19 vaccinations, were delivered – this is an increase of 50.9 million compared to 2019, meaning we have delivered on our manifesto commitment for 50 million more appointments a year. This is equivalent to 44 more appointments per practice per working day, with over 70% of these taking place within 2 weeks of booking.

Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said:

Today’s figures, published by NHS England, clearly demonstrate that more people are getting the care they need, when they need it.

Thank you so much to GPs and primary care teams up and down the country for their tireless work to care for patients, which saw around 32,500 more appointments delivered every day.

While this is positive news, we know that there is more to do to make it easier and quicker for patients to contact their general practice and continue to focus on delivering the primary care recovery plan.

Today’s announcement builds on data from earlier this month which showed that there were over 34,000 additional direct patient care staff working in general practice – exceeding the government’s commitment to recruit an additional 26,000 primary care staff which was met one year early and is helping to cut waiting lists.

Earlier this year, the government published its primary care recovery plan focused on improving access to primary care. Providing practices in England with £240 million, it supported them to embrace the latest technology to tackle the 8am rush, reduce the number of people struggling to contact their general practice and ensure patients know how their query will be handled.

As of August 2023, more than 1,000 general practices had signed up to digital upgrades – giving them the latest digital technology designed to make booking general practice appointments easier.

Following the pandemic the government is investing up to £645 million and is working with NHS England and the pharmaceutical sector on the best way to support primary care.

This includes ensuring patients who need prescription medication for 7 common conditions can receive it without the need for a GP appointment and is estimated to free up around 15 million appointments over the next 2 years for patients who need them most.

Workforce data is published by NHS England: NHS Workforce Statistics – August 2023.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 30 November 2023.

New suicide surveillance system launched to tackle emerging methods of suicide and clamp down on those seeking to sell dangerous products to vulnerable people.

• Government delivers on key commitment in national suicide prevention strategy to help thousands more people approaching crisis to get the support they need
• Near to real-time suicide surveillance system for England launched, with government working with police to gather quickly vital data on tragic suicides including gender, age group and method
• Milestone will support rollout of new national alert system to notify schools, universities and charities of emerging methods of suicide and risks

Efforts to tackle emerging methods of suicide and clamp down on those seeking to sell dangerous products to vulnerable people were bolstered today, as the government delivered on a key commitment in its national suicide prevention strategy and launched a new suicide surveillance system.

Working alongside the National Police Chiefs’ Council to bring together important local intelligence, the government will obtain near to real-time data from across the country on deaths by suspected suicide by gender, age group and method.

Previously, the only suicide data available at a national level was provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), but it could take up to 2 years for the official ONS data to come through. From today (30 November 2023), however, the data will be received from individual police forces in England and the government will get it within 3 months of a suspected suicide.

Female deaths by suicide, for example, are increasing at a higher rate than male deaths; therefore it’s imperative such trends are captured as early as possible and preventative measures put in place to save lives.

A monthly report on the new datasets will be published by the government, and it will act as an early warning system for indications of any change in tragic suicides.

The new datasets will also support the future rollout of a national alert system on emerging methods or risks, so anyone who comes into contact with potentially dangerous new methods of suicide will have a direct link into central government to report it. Through this, alerts will soon be circulated to all authorities, such as schools and charities, that should be aware and may be required to take mitigating action.

Mental Health Minister Maria Caulfield said:

Every suicide is a tragedy and has a devastating, enduring impact on families and communities, but we are working at pace to reduce the number of suicides, support those reaching the lowest point and tackle emerging methods and harmful online material.

The national suspected suicide surveillance system is vital to achieving this, and will provide important near real-time data so we can spot anomalies in age, gender and method more quickly and take the necessary action to save lives.

The national suicide prevention strategy launched earlier this year saw the government pledge to reduce England’s suicide rate within 2 and a half years, with the commitment backed by more than 100 measures.

It is already an offence under the Suicide Act to encourage or assist suicide. The Online Safety Act 2023 goes even further to tackle these crimes, while also ensuring the largest social media companies proactively prevent people from seeing content that encourages or assists suicide.

Today’s data for England for the 15 months to August 2023 does not indicate an obvious change in trend in overall suspected suicide rates over the period. Suspected suicide rates do show a reduction in the most recent months, but it should be noted there are contributing factors and the situation continues to be monitored.

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Suicide Prevention, Assistant Chief Constable Charlie Doyle, said:

Suicide has a devastating impact, we must do all we can to protect people and reduce preventable death.

We welcome today’s announcement by the government and will continue to work with partners to reduce suicide.

The government is investing £2.3 billion extra a year into mental health services to help an additional 2 million people access NHS-funded mental health support by 2024, and we’ve recently launched a £10 million fund for the voluntary sector in England to carry out crucial work to save lives until 2025.

£150 million is being invested up to April 2025 to better support people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, mental health crises. This will support the roll out of mental health ambulances and delivery of over 160 projects – including alternatives to A&E – to ensure people can receive specialist care in appropriate spaces and help ease pressure on the NHS.

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan also sets out an ambition to grow the mental health workforce by 73% by 2036 to 2037, and the workforce already continues to grow to help cut waiting lists.

Support is available for anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts on the NHS website.