Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 2 July 2025.

The Prime Minister launches a new era for the NHS, bringing more easily accessible care closer to home.

• Prime Minister launches government’s 10 Year Health Plan to bring the NHS closer to home
• Neighbourhood health services to be rolled out across the country, bringing diagnostics, mental health, post-op, rehab and nursing to people’s doorsteps
• Neighbourhood health centres will house services under one roof, open at evenings and weekends
• Plan for Change will rebuild the NHS to train thousands more family doctors, transform hospital outpatient appointments and provide personalised care plans for complex needs

Millions of patients will be treated and cared for closer to their home by new teams of health professionals, Prime Minister Keir Starmer will set out today (3 July 2025), as the government’s Plan for Change delivers a brand-new era for the NHS and delivers one of the most seismic shifts in care in the history of the health service.

The launch of a neighbourhood health service will see pioneering teams, some based entirely under one roof, set up in local communities across the country, to dramatically improve access to the NHS. As part of the government’s aim to shift care out of hospitals and into the community, they will free up overstrained hospitals from perpetual firefighting so they can focus on delivering only the best, most cutting-edge and personalised care.

These neighbourhood health centres will provide easier, more convenient access to a full range of healthcare services right on people’s doorsteps – stopping them from having to make lengthy trips to hospitals. Neighbourhood teams will include staff like nurses, doctors, social care workers, pharmacists, health visitors, palliative care staff and paramedics. Community health workers and volunteers will play a pivotal role in these teams, and local areas will be encouraged to trial innovative schemes like community outreach door-to-door – to detect early signs of illness and reduce pressure on GPs and A&E.

Launching the government’s 10 Year Health Plan today, the Prime Minister will set out how moving care from hospitals to the community is one of the 3 key shifts required to tackle the inherited challenges and neglect of the NHS, make sure it is equipped to look after a modern society, and ensure people feel the change and improvements in healthcare that they voted for.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

The NHS should be there for everyone, whenever they need it.

But we inherited a health system in crisis, addicted to a sticking plaster approach, and unable to face up to the challenges we face now, let alone in the future.

That ends now. Because it’s reform or die. Our 10 Year Health Plan will fundamentally rewire and future-proof our NHS so that it puts care on people’s doorsteps, harnesses game-changing tech and prevents illness in the first place.

That means giving everyone access to GPs, nurses and wider support all under one roof in their neighbourhood – rebalancing our health system so that it fits around patients’ lives, not the other way round.

This is not an overnight fix, but our Plan for Change is already turning the tide on years of decline with over 4 million extra appointments, 1,900 more GPs and waiting lists at their lowest level for 2 years.

But there’s more to come. This government is giving patients easier, quicker and more convenient care, wherever they live.

The plan follows Lord Darzi’s diagnosis of the challenges facing the NHS last year where he assessed it was in a ‘critical condition’ as a result of deep rooted issues including low productivity, poor staff morale, a failure to keep up with new technology, rising waiting times and a deterioration in the health of the nation.

The PM will set out how the plan will deliver 3 key shifts to get the NHS back on its feet: hospital to community; analogue to digital; and sickness to prevention. Built around these 3 principles, the reforms within the plan will deliver the government’s promise to stop rising waiting lists, deliver more convenient care and tackle inequalities across the country.

New health centres will house the neighbourhood teams, which will eventually be open 12 hours a day, 6 days a week within local communities. They will not only bring historically hospital-based services into the community – diagnostics, post-operative care and rehab – but will also offer services like debt advice, employment support and stop smoking or weight management, all of which will help tackle issues which we know affect people’s health.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

Our 10 Year Health Plan will turn the NHS on its head, delivering one of the most fundamental changes in the way we receive our healthcare in history.

By shifting from hospital to community, we will finally bring down devastating hospital waiting lists and stop patients going from pillar to post to get treated.

This government’s Plan for Change is creating an NHS truly fit for the future, keeping patients healthy and out of hospital, with care closer to home and in the home.

The status quo of ‘hospital by default’ will end, with a new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can: digital-by-default, in a patient’s home where possible, in a neighbourhood health centre when needed, in a hospital if necessary. This approach will make access to healthcare more convenient for patients and easier to fit around their day-to-day lives, rather than disrupting people’s work and personal lives.

Thousands more GPs will be trained under the 10 Year Health Plan, as the government lays the groundwork to bring back the family doctor, end the 8am scramble and make it easier to see your GP when you need to instead of having to turn to A&E.

The government inherited an analogue NHS, reliant on paper and fax machines and out of step with modern technology. The government’s plan will bring it into the digital age, making sure staff benefit from the advantages and efficiencies available from new technology. This includes rolling out groundbreaking new tools over the next 2 years to support GPs. AI scribes will end the need for clinical notetaking, letter drafting and manual data entry to free up clinicians’ time to focus on treating patients. Saving just 90 seconds on each GP appointment can save the same time as adding 2,000 more doctors into general practice.

The government will also use digital telephony so all phone calls to GP practices are answered quickly. For those who need it, they will get a digital or telephone consultation the same day they request it.

As it stands, some practices are struggling to keep up with an ageing population and 21st century health needs. New contracts will be introduced which encourage and allow practices to cover a wider geographical area. It means smaller practices in the catchment area will get more support to ensure the right access is in place so that everyone can access their GP when they need to.

Sir James Mackey, Chief Executive, NHS England, said:

The neighbourhood health service is a huge opportunity for us to transform how we deliver care over the next decade – starting right on people’s doorsteps.

By bringing together a full range of clinicians as one team, we can deliver care that’s more accessible, convenient and better for patients, as well as reducing pressures on hospitals.

The plan will also deliver on the government’s promise to tackle the current lottery of access to dentists. Dental care professionals will work as part of neighbourhood teams, where dental therapists could undertake check-ups, treatment and referrals, while dental nurses could give education and advice to parents or work with schools and community groups. The work therapists cannot do would be safely directed to dentists.

Under the plan, it will also be a requirement for newly qualified dentists to practise in the NHS for a minimum period, intended to be 3 years.

Following the government’s work already to roll out supervised toothbrushing for kids, the plan will also improve access to dental care for children, making better use of the wider dental workforce, especially dental therapists, including through a new approach to upskilling professionals to work at the top of their clinical potential, beginning in 2026 to 2027. This includes proposals to allow dental nurses to administer fluoride varnish for children in between check-ups, and the greater use of fissure sealants for children – covering back teeth with thin plastic coating to keep germs and food particles out of the grooves.

Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, said:

This is a vital step towards a more preventative, community-based NHS. Bringing care closer to people’s homes through blended neighbourhood health teams recognises the complex and interconnected challenges many patients face, and it is the right direction for both improving outcomes and alleviating pressure on hospitals.

In many areas of the country, general practices working at scale through primary care networks and GP federations are already partnering alongside other organisations to deliver joined-up care. It will be important to build on these positive successes.

Delivering on this ambition will require sustained investment in digital and estates, support for the NHS’s workforce, and a commitment to decentralise national control by empowering local leaders to do what is best for their populations. On behalf of our members, we are eager to work with the government to help turn this bold vision into lasting change.

With the 10 Year Health Plan, the majority of outpatient care will happen outside of hospitals by 2035, by transforming care in the community. New digital tools will allow GPs to refer patients quicker, and a wider range of services available on people’s doorsteps will mean less need to attend appointments in hospital for ophthalmology, cardiology, respiratory medicine and mental health.

As a result of this shift to community, hospitals will be able to focus on patients who need hospital care and get them seen on time again.

The government’s Plan for Change is already delivering action to cut waiting lists and fix the foundations of the NHS. Waiting lists are at their lowest level in 2 years, including the first drop in April for 17 years. An extra 4.2 million appointments have been delivered since July 2024 – over double the government’s target. Ten new surgical hubs have opened since January 2025, and 1,900 more GPs have been recruited since October 2024.

Background information

Where neighbourhood health teams have been trialled in England, they have significantly reduced hospital use. In Derby, integrated teams led to 2,300 fewer category 3 ambulance callouts and 1,400 fewer short hospital stays among the over 65 population within a year.

The Institute for Public Policy Research has already called for a neighbourhood NHS – arguing that a strong primary care sector has been shown to deliver better health outcomes, fewer hospital and emergency department trips, and more efficient healthcare spending.

As well as improving access to care for patients, the move to more care in the community will put the NHS back on the path to long-term financial sustainability. A recent study found that £100 spent on community care could achieve, on average, £131 in hospital savings.

Care plans are vital to seamless care within the community, but only 20% of people with a long-term condition have one. Through the 10 Year Health Plan, the government will set a new standard that, by 2027, 95% of people with complex needs have an agreed personal care plan. All care plans should be co-created with patients. This means neighbourhood teams can tailor care for specific patients, working with them and their loved ones to proactively manage their conditions instead of simply reacting and treating emerging issues, as is the case under the current system. This is especially important for people with complex needs who are likely to be managing multiple conditions.

Unpaid carers will be actively involved in care planning, with family, friends and carers agreeing decisions about care together where appropriate.

Stakeholder reaction

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said:

A neighbourhood health service is at the heart of the NHS 10 Year Plan and it could be a game-changer for our older population if we get it right.

For far too long, healthcare in the community has been fragmented and hard to access and navigate for older people, so crucial opportunities to nip their emerging health problems in the bud get missed.

At Age UK we aspire to an NHS that proactively supports older people to stay as well as is possible for as long as possible, and if delivered well the neighbourhood health service really could help achieve it.

Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive of NHS Providers, said:

This plan brings together 3 key ingredients for success. It provides a renewed focus on what good care will look like for people who depend on the NHS most by investing in GP and new neighbourhood services.

It’s a win for patients who will be better informed and empowered to direct their care as never before.

And it makes the NHS simpler, ensuring quicker decisions and innovations get to frontline services faster.

This is a recipe that offers the prospect of progress where previous plans have faltered.

That is a great starting point and all NHS providers will be keen to seize this opportunity to build a better health service that staff, patients and the public are once again proud of.

Jacob Lant, Chief Executive of National Voices, said:

The message in today’s plan is clear: for the NHS to thrive, services must start to organise themselves around how people and communities actually live their lives.

Whether it be through shifting services out of hospitals, making innovative and inclusive use of tech or simply doubling down on getting the basics right, like communicating better with patients, this drive towards user-centred care offers hope for a more efficient and sustainable health service that focuses on patient need and outcomes.

To ensure no communities are left behind, it is vital that neighbourhood health services look to develop this new offer in partnership with the voluntary sector and the full diversity of citizens that make up the communities they serve.

Gemma Peters, Chief Executive at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:

This vision to bring care closer to home is what both the public and the NHS need.

3.5 million people are living with cancer today, rising to 4 million by 2030. Without radical change, the NHS cannot meet this growing demand, or ensure that – whoever you are, wherever you live – you can access the care, support and treatment you need when you need it.

We welcome the government’s recognition that we now need to mobilise every part of the NHS, communities and the voluntary sector to make sure this plan succeeds.

Macmillan is ready to play our part in delivering this vision and the forthcoming national cancer plan to ensure everyone has the world class healthcare they deserve.

Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patients Association, said:

We welcome this ambitious transformation set out in the 10 Year Health Plan that delivers on what we called for: integrated, accessible care that is centred on patients’ real lives. Having new neighbourhood health centres open 12 hours a day, 6 days a week with multidisciplinary teams and clinical and support services under one roof addresses the reality that health challenges don’t exist in isolation.

We’re pleased to see the commitment to training thousands more GPs and look forward to a sustainable workforce strategy to support the delivery of these expanded services, along with clarity on how quickly these centres will be rolled out. We remain committed to ensuring genuine patient partnership underpins the design and delivery of these services, so they truly reflect what patients need in their local communities.

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

The ambition, scale and innovative approaches set out in the 10 Year Health Plan can only be applauded. It promises a lot and, properly implemented, offers an opportunity to revolutionise healthcare.

It’s clearly not just about getting the NHS back on track, but designing a new healthcare system that’s fit for the challenges of today and tomorrow and one that can work for patients, staff and taxpayers alike. The sheer breadth and scale of what’s been set out will take time to fully digest, but the medical royal colleges are keen and ready to help implement the necessary changes to make this bold vision a reality.

Duleep Allirajah, Chief Executive of the Richmond Group of Charities, said:

We welcome the ambitions of this 10 Year Health Plan to transform care with more focus on prevention, community and digital. We need a radical shift from a siloed health and care system that reacts to crisis, to joined-up services that anticipate and prevent.

Neighbourhood health offers an historic opportunity to provide the kind of high-quality care that will inspire trust and confidence in the health service again. The voluntary sector has a vital role to play in this. Our 15 national charities, along with the wider voluntary sector, stand ready to play our part in transforming care and support for people.

Katharine Jenner, Director, Obesity Health Alliance, said:

This is a positive step towards the healthier future people want. Obesity is a chronic, relapsing condition that needs long-term support. Crucially, as the government now rightly recognises, we must also shift to preventing ill health before it starts.

After years of broken promises, delays and weak voluntary measures, this government must implement their Plan for Change in full this Parliament. Only then we can start to transform our food system – from one that fuels poor health to one that supports good health.

Real progress means taking mandatory action to tackle the relentless marketing and promotion of unhealthy food, improving access to nutritious options and making healthy food affordable for everyone, right from the start of life.

Ravi Gurumurthy, CEO of Nesta, said:

Nye Bevan’s original vision for the NHS placed prevention at its heart. This plan takes important steps toward realising that ambition. The introduction of a new healthy food standard, alongside ending the sale of cigarettes are serious interventions that could substantially reduce cases of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other diseases and narrow health inequalities.

The shift to a neighbourhood health service has the potential to deliver better care within communities and reduce avoidable hospital admissions.

Matthew Reed, Chief Executive of Marie Curie, said:

We are pleased to see the government place the needs of patients at the centre of their plan to reform the NHS, make clear commitments that will help fix the current crisis in palliative and end of life care for local communities, and set out a clear roadmap for creating an NHS that is fit for the future.

We look forward to working with them to ensure that additional NHS funding announced in the Spending Review transforms care in the community for people with a terminal illness.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said:

You can’t upgrade the nation’s health without tackling cardiovascular disease, one of the UK’s biggest killers.

Today’s ambitious plan lays the foundation for how we can stop more lives lost too soon to heart disease, prevent more heart attacks and strokes, and help more people live with healthier hearts for longer.

Henry Gregg, Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association, said:

The 10,000 NHS pharmacies in England are right in the heart of their communities on high streets, in health centres, close to people’s doorsteps, providing healthcare and advice to millions every week.

Pharmacies want to be able to offer better, more joined-up care for their communities so they share the government’s ambition to bring care closer to people.

It’s important that pharmacies – who already do this work day in, day out – are placed at the heart of these plans.

Investing in pharmacies can create a future where people can drop in for treatment, check-ups, medicine reviews and advice.

Pharmacies want to work with GPs, social workers and colleagues across the health service to provide better healthcare nearer to people’s homes and take pressure off the NHS.

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

The government’s plan aligns well with the value that pharmacies can bring and will begin to harness the sector’s potential for the benefit of patients, communities and the wider NHS. Research shows that the public already supports community pharmacies playing a bigger role in healthcare services, and the sector has a unique ability to break down barriers to care coupled with an astonishingly strong record on efficiency.

But before this plan can become a reality, first the government must deliver on its commitment to build the sustainable funding model that community pharmacy so desperately needs. The millions of people relying on them every day don’t want to lose their local pharmacies to financial collapse, which is something the government should carefully consider as it seeks to implement its plan.

This plan is not the end of the road; it’s just the beginning.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 2 July 2025.

New ‘innovator passports’ will slash red tape so cutting-edge tech and treatments can be rolled out across the NHS quicker under the 10 Year Health Plan.

• Digital system will mean companies can innovate faster and patients can get pioneering tech as soon as it’s ready to be rolled out
• Will provide major boost to the life sciences sector, creating an NHS fit for the future under the Plan for Change

NHS patients across the country will get accelerated access to cutting edge technology through a new digital system that will cut red tape and boost life science.

A new ‘innovator passport’ – to be introduced over the next 2 years – will allow new technology that has been robustly assessed by one NHS organisation to be easily rolled out to others.

The move is a key part of the government’s Plan for Change and its 10 Year Health Plan, which will transfer power to patients and transform how healthcare is delivered, creating an NHS fit for the future.

For too long, cutting-edge businesses avoided working with the NHS and went elsewhere, weighed down by slow timelines and reams of processes. Now, organisations will be able to join up with the NHS quicker than ever before through the removal of needless bureaucracy. Not only is this better for patients but also for our NHS and economic growth.

A ‘one-stop shop’ thorough check from the NHS will now allow businesses to get to work as quickly as possible and deliver on what matters most to patients across the country. It means NHS patients will get more effective treatments and support quicker, and the NHS will make the most of its finite assessment resource, all while businesses are given a boost through the government’s industrial strategy.

Treatments including special wound dressings – already reducing surgical site infections by 38% at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals – could be adopted more widely, benefiting patients across the country.

At Barts Health NHS Trust in London, use of antimicrobial protective coverings for cardiac devices has cut infections and saved over £103,000 per year. At University Hospitals Dorset, adopting rapid influenza testing reduced bed days and antibiotic use, freeing up vital resources.

The new passport will eliminate multiple compliance assessments, reducing duplication across the health service. It will be delivered through MedTech Compass, a digital platform developed by DHSC to make effective technologies more visible and widely available.

MedTech Compass will make these innovations and the evidence underpinning them clear to buyers within the NHS.

The initiative builds on the government’s drive to slash waiting lists and ensure people have access to health and care when and where they need it under the Plan for Change.

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

For too long, Britain’s leading scientific minds have been held back by needless admin that means suppliers are repeatedly asked for the same data in different formats by different trusts – this is bad for the NHS, patients and bad for business.

These innovator passports will save time and reduce duplication, meaning our life sciences sector – a central part of our 10 Year Health Plan – can work hand in hand with the health service and make Britain a powerhouse for medical technology.

Frustrated patients will no longer have to face a postcode lottery for lifesaving products to be introduced in their area, and companies will be able to get their technology used across the NHS more easily, creating a health service fit for future under the Plan for Change.

Dr Vin Diwakar, Clinical Transformation Director at NHS England, said:

We’re seeing the impact improvements to technology are having on our everyday lives on everything from smartwatches to fitness trackers – and we want to make sure NHS patients can benefit from the latest medical technology and innovations as well.

The new innovator passports will speed up the roll-out of new health technology in the NHS which has been proven to be effective, so that patients can benefit from new treatments much sooner.

It also forms an important element of the industrial strategy through the upcoming Life Sciences Sector Plan, which will turbocharge Britain’s life sciences sector and cement the UK’s position as a global innovation leader.

MedTech Compass helps speed up decision-making in trusts, allowing technology to scale faster – making it easier for trusts across the country to find, assess and adopt proven technologies that improve and speed up patient care.

The passports mean that once a healthcare tool has been assessed by one NHS organisation, further NHS organisations will not be able to insist on repeated assessments, reducing the need for local NHS systems to spend their limited resources on bureaucratic processes that have already been completed elsewhere.

The digital system will act as a dynamic best buyer’s guide, making it easier for trusts to compare products side-by-side in one place.

The press release issued by the Department for Health and Social Care on 25 June 2025.

The 10 Year Health Plan will set out how the government plans to tackle inequalities in people’s health through fundamental reforms to our health system.

• Billions freed up to move critical resources like medicines and equipment to regions that most need them
• Major changes to how GP funding is distributed to help working-class communities and coastal areas
• Health Secretary to speak in Blackpool on 10 Year Health Plan’s focus on closing health inequalities

People living in working-class communities and areas where medical resources are desperately needed are set to benefit from a huge boost in support, with billions of pounds diverted to deprived areas, as the government’s 10 Year Health Plan takes unprecedented action to tackle the nation’s stark health inequalities.

After years of neglect, areas where people need the NHS most often have the fewest GPs, the worst performing services and the longest waits – a phenomenon dubbed the ‘inverse care law’. People in working-class areas and coastal towns spend more of their lives in ill health, and life expectancy among women with the lowest incomes has fallen in recent years, after decades of progress.

The 10 Year Health Plan will set out how the government plans to rebuild the NHS and tackle widening inequalities in people’s health through fundamental reforms to our health system, putting an end to a postcode lottery of care.

In recent months, the NHS has driven trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs) hard to cut out wasteful spending and tackle projected deficits. By driving out the culture of deficits, around £2.2 billion previously set aside for deficit support will be freed up, so it can be reinvested in critical resources like staff, medicines, new technology and equipment where they are most needed. This will support millions of people in parts of England that have historically been left behind, such as in rural communities, coastal towns and working-class communities.

The Health Secretary will announce the change during a speech in the North West.

Speaking in the North West today [25 June], Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, is expected to say:

The truth is, those in greatest need often receive the worst quality healthcare. It flies in the face of the values the NHS was founded on. The circumstances of your birth shouldn’t determine your worth. A core ambition of our 10 Year Plan will be to restore the promise of the NHS, to provide first class healthcare for everyone in our country and end the postcode lottery.

Last year we sent crack teams of top clinicians to hospitals in parts of the country with the highest waiting lists and levels of economic inactivity. It has seen waiting lists in those areas falling twice as fast as the rest of the country, helping get sick Brits back to health and back to work.

Thanks to the reforms we’ve made to bear down on wasteful spending, we can now invest the savings in working-class communities that need it most. Where towns have the greatest health needs and the fewest GPs, we will prioritise investment to rebuild your NHS and rebuild the health of your community.

Over the past 14 years, NHS trusts have relied heavily on deficit support, with the taxpayer forced to cover the shortfall in their budgets, even when finances have been managed badly. Since becoming NHS England Chief Executive, Jim Mackey has driven down billions in planned deficits, cutting out spending on agency staff and back office costs.

This year, the £2.2 billion in deficit support funding will not go to systems that fail to meet their agreed financial plans. Deficit support funding will be phased out entirely from financial year 2026 to 2027, with no more reward for failure. Instead, the government will introduce a transparent financial regime for this year that properly holds leaders to account over financial plans. Struggling trusts will be required to set out activity and costs so they can take steps to improve. The tougher financial regime will free up funding that will be reinvested in frontline services in working-class communities.

The government’s 10 Year Health Plan will also address the inequalities in GP services across England. Currently, GP surgeries that serve working-class areas receive on average 10% less funding per patient than practices in more affluent areas. Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) data shows that practices in some of the country’s poorest areas have roughly 300 more patients per GP than the most affluent regions.

Through the 10 Year Health Plan, the government will review the formula through which GP funding is allocated across the nation, so working-class areas receive their fair share of resources.

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

It is essential that GP practices serving our most deprived communities, where health challenges are often greatest, receive a fair share of resources that reflects their need.

The NHS is committed to ensuring people can access the help they need as quickly and easily as possible, and ensuring funding reflects this will help us to do just that.

This work will look at how health needs are reflected in the distribution of funding through the GP contract, drawing on evidence and advice from experts such as the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA), and in consultation with the GP committee of the British Medical Association (BMA) and other stakeholders.

The government has already sent top doctors to support hospital trusts in areas where more people are out of work and waiting for treatment. The crack teams have been sent into NHS hospitals serving communities with high levels of economic inactivity, helping trusts go further and faster to improve care in these areas, where more people are neither employed nor actively seeking work for reasons including ill health.

Earlier this year, the government struck a new agreement with the independent sector as part of the government’s plans to end the hospital waiting list backlog, giving patients in more deprived areas, where NHS provision is more limited, a greater choice over where they are treated.

This comes after the Health and Social Care Secretary announced a series of new measures to tackle inequalities in maternity care earlier this week. The rapid national investigation will provide truth and accountability for impacted families and drive urgent improvements to care and safety. It will also focus on inequalities in maternal care, which see Black women almost 3 times as likely to die from childbirth as White women.

Jacob Lant, Chief Executive of National Voices, said:

Lord Darzi said in his review last summer that the inverse care law was still very real, with those who need the NHS the most often living in areas that have gotten the least investment.

The NHS 10 Year Plan needs to turn this completely on its head if the government is to achieve its election promise on health inequalities and halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between different communities by 2035.

Shifting the money is only half the battle. We need to see outcomes on health inequalities used as one of the key success measures for NHS leaders as a new culture of accountability is developed post publication of the plan.

Councillor Louise Gittins, Chair of the Local Government Association, said:

Across the country, councils are working tirelessly to incorporate fairness into housing, employment and public health initiatives, often in the face of significant challenges.

Health inequalities are the stark and often unjust differences in health outcomes seen across various communities. These disparities may present themselves as variations in life expectancy, the prevalence of chronic diseases and access to healthcare services.

Addressing these issues requires concerted efforts and targeted support. Health inequalities are estimated to cost the NHS an extra £4.8 billion a year, society around £31 billion in lost productivity, and between £20 and £32 billion a year in lost tax revenue and benefit payments. Health is therefore a major determinant of economic performance and prosperity.

Councils are pivotal in addressing health inequalities. By collaborating closely with local communities, businesses and organisations, local authorities and the NHS, we can develop targeted interventions to improve health outcomes.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 25 June 2025.

The NHS App will be transformed so it gives every patient information, choice and control of their own healthcare.

• Upgraded NHS App will help tackle nation’s health inequalities and give patients access to the best care
• New tool will give everyone choice based on patient satisfaction, waiting times and healthcare outcomes
• Healthcare democratised through new tool, with information about conditions and procedures at the touch of a button

The NHS App will be transformed so it gives every patient – whatever their postcode or background – information, choice and control of their own healthcare so they have the best information at their fingertips, as the government’s 10 Year Health Plan closes the stark health inequalities faced by millions of people.

Under the current system, wealthier patients often have more information about the country’s hospitals and access to better care. The improved NHS App will democratise care, so everyone, including those from working class communities, has the information they need about their conditions or procedures they’re due to go through.

Using artificial intelligence (AI), the new My Companion tool will give patients direct access to trusted health information, so there are always 2 experts in every consulting room – the clinician and the patient. It will help patients articulate their health needs and preferences confidently – providing information about a health condition if they have one, or a procedure if they need one. It will support patients to ask questions, including any they may have forgotten about or felt too embarrassed to raise at an in-person appointment.

A new feature called My Choices will help people find everything from the location of their nearest pharmacy, to the best rated providers for heart, hip or knee surgery – all on the app. It will provide a range of data on providers across the country – such as which delivers the shortest waits, has the best patient outcomes, the best patient satisfaction scores, or is simply closest to home – so anyone, anywhere, can pick care based on their own preferences. People who just want to be sent to their local provider will be offered this as a default.

This will end the ‘one size fits all’ approach, which often misses the distinct needs of different people, including women, people from ethnic minority backgrounds or people who live in more rural communities, among many others.

It comes as the Health Secretary today unveiled a radical package of measures under the 10 Year Health Plan to tackle health inequalities, freeing up billions of pounds to move critical resources like medicines and equipment to the communities that most need them, alongside changes to the way GP funding is distributed to help working class communities and coastal areas.

Speaking in Blackpool today, Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

The NHS feels increasingly slow and outdated to the generation that organises their lives at the touch of a button. If you get annoyed at Deliveroo not getting your dinner to you in less than an hour, how will you feel being told to wait a year for a knee operation? A failure to modernise risks this generation walking away from the NHS, first for their healthcare, and then with their taxes.

People won’t accept paying higher and higher taxes to fund a health service that no longer meets their needs. And the lack of control people feel over their own lives is made worse by an analogue, ‘computer says no’, NHS. We can only close this inequality and shut down this risk to the NHS’s future, through a revolution in patient power.

The ambition of our 10 Year Health Plan is nothing less than to provide NHS patients with the same ease and convenience that’s afforded to private patients. The good news is that technology gives us the opportunity to democratise healthcare in a way never before possible. It can empower patients with choice and control and make managing our healthcare as convenient as doing our shopping or banking online.

Technology can be the great leveller. Look at what Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert, has done for personal finances. For ordinary people – who could never afford their own financial adviser – it is simple and easy to make your hard-earned money go further. Our 10 year plan for health will do the same for NHS patients – giving them easy access to information, to help them improve their health.

Dr Vin Diwakar, NHS National Director of Transformation, said:

The shift from analogue to digital set out in the 10 Year Health Plan will transform the services we offer through the NHS App, making it the single most important tool patients use to get health information and control their care.

These exciting reforms will be invaluable in combating health disparities and providing world-leading access to those who have not previously been able to get care on their own terms – by providing transparent data about services or supporting carers to manage the care of loved ones. We will co-design these with patients and carers to ensure that the app can be accessed by everyone.

All this and more will be available from your pocket, making controlling your own healthcare as easy as placing an online shopping order.

The government has already exceeded its target to increase the number of hospitals allowing patients to view appointment information on the NHS App up to 85% by the end of March 2025. This has now reached 87%, up from 68% in July 2024. It means millions of patients are already starting to benefit from greater choice and flexibility in the way they access healthcare.

Since July 2024, these features have saved almost 5.7 million hours of staff time, including 1.26 million clinical hours across health settings. Together with the 1.5 million missed appointments avoided, the shift to the NHS App has helped save the equivalent of £622 million.

The Health and Social Care Secretary also announced today that people from traditionally working-class communities, unpaid carers and over 50s will be among those supported onto the NHS career ladder, as the government’s Plan for Change tackles rampant health inequalities and gets Britain working. The government has confirmed a new pilot to recruit an initial 1,000 people from groups or areas worst hit by unemployment.

Backed by £5 million, the new recruitment scheme will target those who historically face barriers into employment, including:

• young people not in education or training
• unpaid carers
• care leavers
• people with special educational needs and disabilities
• people with long-term health conditions or disabilities
• ethnic minority groups with no or low level qualifications
• refugees
• asylum seekers
• prison leavers

Covering communities across the country, the programme may teach important skills to support a move into the health and care sector, alongside offering support with job applications and preparing for interviews. Participants will also have the opportunity to undertake a work placement in a local health and care employer.

Many will then move on to important roles, such as those in health support, facilities management, administration, nursing support and pharmacy support, kickstarting an exciting, long-term career within health and care.

Through our Plan for Change, this government is committed to raising living standards, driving growth and productivity, and tackling inequalities.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 24 June 2025.

Government to offer home testing kits as part of the cervical screening programme under the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan.

• Under-screened women to be offered convenient human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling kits under new 10 Year Health Plan
• Home kits offered to those who have missed their invite, making care more convenient and supporting our shift from treatment to prevention
• New initiative builds on the NHS’s personalised approach to cervical screening

Women and people with a cervix across England who haven’t come forward for vital health checks will be offered home testing kits as part of the cervical screening programme under the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan.

The ground-breaking initiative aims to revolutionise cervical cancer prevention rates by tackling deeply entrenched barriers that keep some women away from potentially life-saving screenings, including a fear of discomfort, embarrassment, cultural sensitivities and the struggle to find time for medical appointments.

Women who have rarely or have never attended their cervical screening will be offered a self-sample kit to complete at home. The kits are then sent out in discreet packaging and returned via pre-paid mail in the local postbox.

Participation in cervical cancer screening currently sits at just 68.8% – well below the NHS England target of 80%. This means over 5 million women in England are not up-to-date with their routine check-up. But experts believe this targeted approach could increase participation in the screening programme that saves approximately 5,000 lives a year across England.

The initiative is part of the government’s upcoming 10 Year Health Plan – due to be published in the coming weeks – which sets out how the government plans to tackle the challenges facing the health service and build an NHS that is fit for the future by doing more to prevent ill health in the first place.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

These self-sampling kits represent healthcare that works around people’s lives, not the other way around. They put women firmly in control of their own health, ensuring we catch more cancers at their earliest, most treatable stages.

Our 10 Year Health Plan will fundamentally reform the NHS, shifting focus from treating illness to preventing it before it starts.

We know the earlier cancer is diagnosed, the better the chances are of survival. By making screening more convenient, we’re tackling the barriers that keep millions of women from potentially life-saving tests.

The self-testing kits, which detect HPV, a group of viruses that can lead to cervical cancer, allow women to carry out this testing in the privacy and convenience of their own homes.

Michelle Kane, NHS Director of Vaccination and Screening Delivery and Transformation, said:

There are a number of reasons that stop some women taking up the offer of screening and we hope the introduction of self-testing will encourage more women to take up this life-saving test in a way that works for them.

I’d encourage anyone who gets an invite for a cervical screening, either from their local GP practice or the NHS App, to attend and if you have any worrying symptoms, please contact your GP. It could save your life.

The programme specifically targets those groups consistently missing vital appointments, with younger women, ethnic minority communities facing cultural hurdles, people with a disability and LGBT+ people all set to benefit.

Anyone testing positive for HPV through self-sampling will be encouraged to attend a clinician-taken follow-up cervical screening test to check for cervical cell changes.

Athena Lamnisos, Chief Executive of the Eve Appeal, said:

There are so many different reasons why those who are eligible aren’t responding to their cervical screening invitation letter.

HPV self-testing will be a step change for some. Being able to do the test in their own time and following simple instructions is what many people want and need. Ensuring that the under-screened and never-screened know about this new test is vital for Eve.

As the leading gynae cancer prevention charity, we know how vital it is to address health inequalities and make sure that everyone knows that this test is available to them and why it’s important.

Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, said:

Screening is a powerful tool to prevent cervical cancer and save lives, but we know it isn’t always easy for everyone to take part. For some, the test may seem uncomfortable, embarrassing or simply hard to fit into their lives. That’s why we welcome the UK government’s decision to roll out cervical cancer home screening kits in England – to help remove barriers and make cervical screening more accessible.

The gold standard way to test for HPV is still a sample taken by a clinician and this will be suitable for most people. But beating cervical cancer means beating it for everyone, and this move helps to bring us closer to that goal. It’s important to remember that cervical screening is for people without symptoms so, if you notice any unusual changes for you, do not wait for a screening invitation – speak to your doctor.

This approach builds on the NHS’s recent announcement to make cervical cancer screening more personalised. From July, women aged 25 to 49 who test negative for HPV in a clinician-taken test will be invited for their next test in 5 years rather than 3, following a recommendation by the UK National Screening Committee. The programme is in line with major clinical evidence that shows if a person tests negative for HPV they are extremely unlikely to go on to develop cervical cancer within the next decade. Anyone whose sample indicates the presence of HPV will continue to be invited to more frequent screenings.

Digital invitations and reminders for cervical screening were also recently rolled out as part of the NHS App’s ‘ping and book’ service to make screenings even more convenient, boost uptake and save lives.

Through our Plan for Change, the government is cutting waiting times for cancer patients, with 99,000 extra patients having had cancer diagnosed or ruled out since July than in the previous year. In February, the highest ever proportion of patients had a diagnosis or an all clear within 4 weeks.

Dr Anita Lim, Chief Investigator of the YouScreen trial and Visiting Senior Research Fellow at King’s College London, said:

This is a significant step forward for cervical cancer prevention and brings us closer to the NHS goal of eliminating the disease by 2040. The YouScreen trial, which provided self-sampling HPV kits to under-screen women in London, demonstrated that self-sampling could reach people who find it difficult to attend traditional screening, including those from diverse and underserved populations.

It’s hugely positive to see this now reflected in national policy, helping more people get protected from this highly preventable cancer.

Gem, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2015, said:

My cervical cancer was picked up during a routine screening by my GP. I was referred for surgery to remove the cancer cells, as well as lymph nodes from my abdomen and pelvis.

It took me about 6 weeks to recover, and because it was caught early and hadn’t spread, I was told at my follow-up appointment that I was cancer-free and didn’t require further treatment.

I’ve been cancer-free for years now, but I still live with the aftermath of my diagnosis. I hope that one day we live in a world where cervical cancer is eliminated. With advances in vaccines and screening, I believe that day is getting ever closer.

For many, though, there are barriers to attending screening. Our everyday lives are busy juggling jobs, family life and more, which can make attending appointments difficult. But feelings of embarrassment, fear or unease can also prevent people from going.

Making it easier for people to access screening they can do at home removes some of those barriers and will, I’m sure, save lives.

If I hadn’t attended screening when I did, I’m certain I would have been facing a very different outcome. I will always be thankful that I went when I did and now try to use my experience to help others.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 23 June 2025.

The rapid national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services will provide truth to families suffering harm, and urgently improve care and safety.

• It follows series of meetings between Secretary of State and bereaved families, with parents at heart of improving standards
• It comes alongside package of immediate actions to boost accountability and safety as part of government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future

A rapid national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services has been ordered by Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting. This is to provide truth and accountability for impacted families and drive urgent improvements to care and safety, addressing systemic problems dating back over 15 years.

This government inherited a situation where issues in maternity and neonatal care had been ongoing for some time and a series of independent reviews into local trusts had found similar failings in compassionate care – including the failure to listen to women, concerns over safety and issues with leadership and culture.

The investigation will urgently look at worst-performing services in the country but also across the entire maternity system, bringing together the findings of past reviews into one clear national set of actions to ensure every woman and baby receives safe, high-quality and compassionate care.

Crucially, it will be co-produced with clinicians, experts and parents all feeding in, following a series of private meetings last week between the Secretary of State and families who have been harmed or bereaved by failures in their care. It will begin its work this summer and report back by December 2025.

The investigation comes alongside a package of immediate actions to improve care, including greater intervention by the Secretary of State and NHS Chief Executive to hold failing trusts to account – a key step in delivering the government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future through the Plan for Change.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

For the past year, I have been meeting bereaved families from across the country who have lost babies or suffered serious harm during what should have been the most joyful time in their lives.

What they have experienced is devastating – deeply painful stories of trauma, loss and a lack of basic compassion – caused by failures in NHS maternity care that should never have happened. Their bravery in speaking out has made it clear: we must act – and we must act now.

I know nobody wants better for women and babies than the thousands of NHS midwives, obstetricians, maternity and neonatal staff, and that the vast majority of births are safe and without incident, but it’s clear something is going wrong.

That’s why I’ve ordered a rapid national investigation to make sure these families get the truth and the accountability they deserve, and ensure no parent or baby is ever let down again. I want staff to come with us on this, to improve things for everyone.

We‘re also taking immediate steps to hold failing services to account and give staff the tools they need to deliver the kind, safe, respectful care every family deserves.

Maternity care should be the litmus test by which this government is judged on patient safety, and I will do everything in my power to ensure no family has to suffer like this again.

The investigation will consist of 2 parts. The first will urgently investigate up to 10 of the most concerning maternity and neonatal units, including Sussex, to give affected families answers as quickly as possible.

The second will undertake a system-wide look at maternity and neonatal care, bringing together lessons from past inquiries to create one clear, national set of actions to improve care across every NHS maternity service.

The government is also today establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and to be made up of a panel of esteemed experts and bereaved families.

Sir Jim Mackey, Chief Executive at NHS England, said:

Despite the hard work of staff, too many women are experiencing unacceptable maternity care, and families continue to be let down by the NHS when they need us most.

This rapid national investigation must mark a line in the sand for maternity care – setting out one set of clear actions for NHS leaders to ensure high-quality care for all.

Transparency will be key to understanding variation and fixing poor care – by shining a spotlight on the areas of greatest failure we can hold failing trusts to account. Each year, over half a million babies are born under our care and maternity safety rightly impacts public trust in the NHS – so we must act immediately to improve outcomes for the benefit of mothers, babies, families and staff.

Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for NHS England, said:

Through this rapid investigation and the immediate actions announced today, we are determined to transform services so that every family receives safe, personalised and dignified care at one of the most significant and vulnerable times in their lives.

We know we have significant issues to address concerning safety and culture within maternity and neonatal services, and Black and Asian women and those in deprived areas still face worse outcomes, so we must redouble our efforts to improve care for all.

The overwhelming majority of births in England are safe, and I’d urge all women to engage with their maternity service and raise any concerns they may have about themselves or their baby. Every birth matters and we will work to ensure all families trust their local NHS and feel supported through their maternity journey.

This will address several issues facing maternity care in England. One area of focus will be addressing the devastating inequalities that women from Black, Asian and deprived backgrounds face. It will also look at a lack of compassionate care and concerns over safety.

Speaking at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) World Conference today, the Secretary of State will outline a series of measures to immediately improve care.

This includes:

• the NHS CEO and Chief Nursing Officer will meet with trust leaders in the areas of greatest concern over the next month to drive forward urgent improvement, outline consistent expectations in changing culture and practice, and hold leaders to account for failing
• a new digital system will be rolled out to all maternity services by November to flag potential safety concerns in trusts and support rapid, national action
• an anti-discrimination programme to tackle inequalities in care for Black, Asian and other underserved communities

Dr Clea Harmer, Chief Executive at Sands, said:

Sands believes listening to and learning from the experiences of bereaved parents is vital to improving maternity and neonatal care. We are pleased that the independent safety taskforce will include parent representatives.

We particularly welcome the inclusion of an anti-discrimination programme to help tackle inequalities in care for Black, Asian and other underserved communities. Sands, along with other organisations, friends and allies, have long campaigned for this.

We look forward to working with the Secretary of State on this much-needed and long-overdue programme and to ensuring that concrete steps are taken towards real accountability and lasting systemic change.

Vicki Robinson, Miscarriage Association Chief Executive, said:

We welcome today’s announcement by the Secretary of State of a major investigation into NHS maternity services. While the scope of this inquiry is broad, we’re reassured to know it will include the voices and experiences of our community – those affected by miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and molar pregnancy. With black women 43% more likely to experience miscarriage, it is especially welcome that these inequalities will be a key focus.

At the Miscarriage Association, we are currently conducting a UK-wide survey which aims to improve care and support during and after miscarriage. We hope the findings will provide valuable insight for this NHS investigation, to help inform and improve pre-natal care across the board.

We hope this investigation leads to meaningful learning, and to better, more compassionate care for anyone experiencing pregnancy loss in the future.

Shauna Leven, Chief Executive Officer at Twins Trust, said:

Twins Trust welcomes the national maternity investigation. Families expecting twins, triplets or more face significantly greater risks and are sadly more likely to experience baby loss. Too often, maternity services aren’t equipped to meet the specific needs of multiple pregnancies.

Our Maternity Engagement Project, which audits NHS units against NICE guidelines, has reduced stillbirths and neonatal deaths, proving that tailored care saves lives.

We urge the government to ensure families with multiples are heard. More investment is needed in staff training and resources so that maternity units can meet clinical care standards and deliver safe, compassionate care for all.

Angela McConville, Chief Executive at National Childbirth Trust (NCT), said:

This investigation has been won by the determination of bereaved families who have bravely spoken out about the devastating failures in NHS maternity care.

The immediate investment package is a vital start to tackling deep-rooted inequalities, training frontline staff and improving the UK’s worst performing services.

The national investigation must now move at pace to set out a clear, actionable plan for every NHS maternity and neonatal unit.

We’ve seen first hand the power of co-creating solutions with women and parents. Real change can happen if the government listens, learns and builds a well-resourced, safe and equitable maternity system that works for all.

Paul Rees MBE, Interim Chief Executive and Registrar at the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), said:

Every woman, baby and family has the right to expect safe and effective maternity care, wherever they are.

We welcome this rapid investigation and look forward to working with the independent taskforce and the Department of Health and Social Care to drive forward urgent improvements and tackle the scourge of health inequalities.

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

New guidance published today will provide a boost in the quality of care for people with a learning disability or autistic people.

• New guidance published today (19 June 2025) to ensure health and care staff have skills to provide care for people with a learning disability and autistic people
• Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism named after teenager who died in 2016 after having severe reaction to medication given to him against family’s wishes
• Training will aim to tackle health inequalities faced by people with a learning disability and autistic people, who face poorer health outcomes than general population

People with a learning disability and autistic people will get safer, more personalised care as the government publishes new guidelines for health and care providers to train staff.

The Oliver McGowan code of practice on statutory learning disability and autism training aims to ensure staff have the right skills to provide care and boost understanding of the needs of these groups of people.

It sets out the standards that providers are expected to meet to be compliant with the law and help make sure patients are kept safe.

Those with a learning disability or autistic people face poorer health outcomes than the general population, and it is crucial that health and social care staff have the right knowledge and skills to tackle these inequalities.

The training and the code of practice are named after Oliver McGowan, an 18 year old from Bristol with a mild learning disability who died following a severe reaction to medication given to him against his and his family’s strong wishes.

Under the law, health and care providers registered by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have a requirement to ensure staff have the appropriate training.

Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, said:

I pay tribute to Paula McGowan OBE and Tom McGowan and their formidable campaign to improve the care of people with a learning disability and autistic people after the tragic death of their son, Oliver.

Through their work, they have shown extraordinary dedication, commitment and passion – Oliver’s memory and legacy lives through them.

This government recognises the appalling health inequalities faced by people with a learning disability and autistic people.

Everyone deserves to receive high-quality, empathetic and dignified care but this cannot be achieved if staff do not have the right training. The Oliver McGowan code of practice published today will be a boost for anyone with a learning disability or autistic people, their families and loved ones.

Paula and Tom McGowan said:

The publication of the code of practice marks a deeply emotional and significant milestone for us and will ensure Oliver’s legacy will continue to make a difference by safeguarding people with a learning disability and autistic individuals from the same preventable failings that he tragically endured.

The code establishes a comprehensive legal framework for the delivery of the training, promoting consistency and a deeper understanding across health and social care services.

We are profoundly grateful to cross-party politicians for their unwavering support and especially to Baroness Sheila Hollins, whose leadership has been pivotal in advancing this important work.

Our heartfelt thanks extend to everyone within the NHS and social care sectors, to our expert trainers, and to individuals with a learning disability and/or autism, along with their families and carers. This is a true example of what meaningful change looks like, giving a voice to those who are not always seen or heard, creating a lasting impact that will continue to transform lives for the better.

Tom Cahill CBE, National Director, Learning Disability and Autism at NHS England, said:

We know that often the quality of care and support for people with a learning disability and autistic people has not been good enough and we are determined to make this better  .

This code of practice – a result of Paula and Tom McGowan’s tireless dedication – will mean all NHS staff have the training and support they need to reduce inequalities and give people with a learning disability or autistic people the care they deserve.

Rebecca Bushell-Bauers, CQC director for people with a learning disability and autistic people, said:

Today highlights Paula and Tom McGowan’s tireless campaigning in their son’s name for better care for autistic people and people with a learning disability.

We are dedicated to advocating for and improving the health and care outcomes for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. The code of practice will further support us in assessing and inspecting whether health and social care providers are training their carers and staff to support autistic people and people with a learning disability appropriately and hold them to account to ensure they are delivering good, informed and safe care.

Baroness Hollins said:

I am delighted that, following my amendment to the 2022 Health and Care Act, the Oliver McGowan Code of Practice has now been laid before Parliament. This milestone supports the requirement that health and care staff complete training that equips them to better care for people with a learning disability and autistic people.

I pay special tribute to Paula and Tom McGowan, whose tireless advocacy in memory of their son, Oliver, has led to lasting change including through the code and training in his name. This is a vital step towards tackling health inequalities and improving care across health and social care services.

The training will be backed by funding as part of the Learning and Development Support Scheme for adult social care in autumn 2025.

Any adult social care providers who arrange for training for their staff between April 2025 and March 2026 will be reimbursed for the costs.

The Health and Care Act 2022 set out a legal requirement for CQC health and care providers to ensure staff receive appropriate training in caring for those with a learning disability or autistic people.

Oliver McGowan was repeatedly prescribed antipsychotic medications despite medical notes highlighting his severe adverse reactions to these drugs and against his and his family’s wishes.

Healthcare staff consistently failed to understand how autism presented alongside epilepsy and did not make the adjustments needed to accommodate for his needs.

Oliver died after developing a severe side effect to the medication which caused brain damage, and after life support was withdrawn by his parents, he died on 11 November 2016.

Oliver’s parents, Paula and Tom McGowan, have campaigned for better training for health and care staff to improve understanding of the needs of people with a learning disability or autistic people.

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

Patients to benefit from new era in cancer treatment, as the government slashes red tape to unleash life-saving innovation.

NHS patients will be the first in Europe to benefit from a ground-breaking, non-invasive liver cancer treatment, as the government’s Plan for Change slashes burdensome red tape and drives innovation, establishing Britain’s role as a medical technology powerhouse.

Using ultrasound technology, the device – developed by US-based company HistoSonics – destroys tumours without surgery, scalpels or radiation, with minimal damage to surrounding organs.

Patients stand to benefit from faster recovery times, potentially greater survival rates, fewer potentially dangerous complications and fewer hospital stays – helping to cut waits for others – all marking a new era in cancer treatment.

Ongoing research is exploring its potential to transform treatment for other hard-to-reach tumours, including kidney and pancreatic cancers, bringing hope to even more NHS patients in the future.

Treatment is delivered through a single short session – potentially taking no longer than 30 minutes – with limited or no pain, a quick recovery and can be performed as a day case.

As the government busts the bureaucracy holding back public services and stifling innovation, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting granted authorisation for controlled early access to the device through an unmet clinical need authorisation. Available through the UK’s Innovative Devices Access Pathway programme, a government-funded scheme to get cutting-edge health innovations to the market much quicker, NHS patients can benefit from technology years earlier than planned.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

Bureaucracy has become a handbrake on ambition, stopping innovation in its tracks and holding our health service back.

But through our Plan for Change, we are slashing red tape, so game-changing new treatments reach the NHS front line quicker – transforming healthcare.

Regulation is vital to protect patients. However, as the pace of innovation ramps up, our processes must be more agile to help speed the shift from analogue to digital.

Our common sense approach to regulation will streamline approval processes so countless more patients are liberated from life-limiting conditions.

The technology, called histotripsy, is being debuted at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, part of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, with the first NHS patients being treated using the game-changing device this summer. The technology was procured and installed thanks to a generous donation to the University of Cambridge from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, which has been a longstanding supporter of cancer research at the university.

Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, said:

Through his longstanding support of cancer research at Cambridge, Sir Ka-shing Li continues to make a significant impact on outcomes for cancer patients.

Cutting-edge technology such as this histotripsy machine allows Cambridge to remain at the forefront of understanding and treating cancer, a position we aim to strengthen further with Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.

The government’s Plan for Change is focused on securing the UK’s position as a global tech powerhouse, including in healthcare, which fosters innovation to transform the lives of working people and deliver a decade of national renewal.

The move delivers on the government’s commitment to tackle bureaucracy blocking investment and regulatory complexity that has previously stifled growth.

Roland Sinker, Chief Executive of Cambridge University Hospitals, said:

Histotripsy is an exciting new technology that will make a huge difference to patients.

By offering this non-invasive, more targeted treatment we can care for more people as outpatients and free up time for surgeons to treat more complex cases.

The faster recovery times mean patients will be able to return to their normal lives more quickly, which will also reduce pressure on hospital beds, helping us ensure that patients are able to receive the right treatment at the right time.

We are delighted to be receiving this new state of the art machine.

Fiona Carey, co-chair of the Patient Advisory Group for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and kidney cancer patient with advanced disease, said:

This is seriously good news. A new, non-invasive option to treat these cancers is very welcome indeed.

For patients for whom ordinary surgery is no longer an option, this could make all the difference.

James Pound, Interim Executive Director, Innovation and Compliance at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said:

This is a strong example of smart, agile regulation in action. Working closely with partners through the Innovative Devices Access Pathway, we’ve shown we can get promising technologies to patients faster – without compromising safety.

It’s a major step forward for patients with liver cancer and shows how the UK can be a frontrunner in supporting responsible innovation that meets real clinical need.

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

Patients will receive better, faster and more appropriate emergency care as the government sets out reforms to shorten waiting times in A&E.

• Nearly £450 million investment to expand urgent and emergency care facilities to provide faster care for patients
• 800,000 fewer patients each year to wait more than 4 hours at A&E, and more will receive urgent treatment in their community
• Part of government’s Plan for Change to modernise NHS services and improve emergency care

Patients will receive better, faster and more appropriate emergency care as the government sets out reforms to shorten waiting times and tackle persistently failing trusts.

The new package of investment and reforms will improve patients’ experiences this year, including by caring for more patients in the community, rather than in hospital which is often worse for patients and more expensive for taxpayers.

Backed with a total of nearly £450 million, the urgent and emergency care plan 2025 to 2026 will deliver:

• around 40 new same day emergency care and urgent treatment centres – which treat and discharge patients in the same day, avoiding unnecessary admissions to hospital
• up to 15 mental health crisis assessment centres to provide care in the right place for patients and avoid them waiting in A&E for hours for care, which is not the most appropriate setting for people who are experiencing a crisis. These centres will offer people timely access to specialist support and ensure they are directed to the right care
• almost 500 new ambulances will also be rolled out across the country by March 2026

The plan’s emphasis will be on shifting more patient care into more appropriate care settings as part of the move from hospital to community under the government’s Plan for Change to rebuild the NHS, while tackling ambulance handover delays and corridor care.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said:

No patient should ever be left waiting for hours in hospital corridors or for an ambulance which ought to arrive in minutes.

We can’t fix more than a decade of underinvestment and neglect overnight. But through the measures we’re setting out today, we will deliver faster and more convenient care for patients in emergencies.

Far too many patients are ending up in A&E who don’t need or want to be there, because there isn’t anywhere else available. Because patients can’t get a GP appointment, which costs the NHS £40, they end up in A&E, which costs around £400 – worse for patients and more expensive for the taxpayer.

The package of investment and reforms we are announcing today will help the NHS treat more patients in the community, so they don’t end up stuck on trolleys in A&E. Hundreds of new ambulances will help cut the unacceptably long waiting times we’ve seen in recent years. And new centres for patients going through a mental health crisis will provide better care and keep them out of A&E departments, which are not well equipped to care for them.

By shifting staff and resources out of hospitals and into communities, and modernising NHS technology and equipment, our Plan for Change will make sure the NHS can be there for you when you need it, once again.

NHS Chief Executive, Sir Jim Mackey, said:

Urgent and emergency care services provide a life-saving first line of defence for patients – but for too long now, despite the incredible hard work of staff, the speed and quality of NHS care has often not been good enough.

Our patients and staff deserve better, so that is why we need a radical change in approach and to ensure we get the basics right.

This major plan sets out how we will work together to resuscitate NHS urgent and emergency care, with a focus on getting patients out of corridors, keeping more ambulances on the road, and enable those ready to leave hospital to do so as soon as possible.

NHS National Director for Urgent and Emergency Care, Sarah-Jane Marsh, said:

It is vital that patients can access our urgent and emergency care services in the right place at the right time, and that the care provided is to a standard we would want for ourselves and our own families.

While the 10 Year Health Plan will set out a longer-term vision to transform urgent and emergency services for the 21st century, there is so much more we could all be doing now.

This plan sets out not only what we know is working across the country, but how systems must work together to improve access and quality for the benefit of our patients.

In order to support this shift in delivery focus, NHS England will be asking providers and systems to be accountable to their own local boards and populations, creating robust winter plans which will be tested during winter exercises throughout September.

Every day, more than 140,000 people access urgent and emergency care services across England. Since 2010 to 2011, demand has almost doubled, with ambulance service usage rising by 61%.

A&E waiting time standards have not been met for over a decade, while the 18-minute target for category 2 ambulance calls has never been hit outside the pandemic.

But at least 1 in 5 people who attend A&E do not need urgent or emergency care, while an even larger number could be better cared for in the community.

The plan focuses on making winter 2025 to 2026 significantly better than recent winters by setting ambitious but achievable targets and increasing transparency about progress.

It marks a fundamental shift in our approach to urgent and emergency care – moving from fragmented efforts to genuine collaboration across the whole system, and mean better co-ordination between NHS trusts and primary care to identify patients most vulnerable during winter.

And it aims to make the most difference to patients by focusing on specific improvements across the healthcare system, aligning resources to areas that need them most.

The plan will also see more patients receive care in the community, rather than being unnecessarily admitted into hospital, through measures including:

• more paramedic-led care in the community – which means patients will receive more effective treatment at the scene of an accident or in their own homes from ambulance crews
• increasing numbers of patients seen by urgent community response teams – which provide urgent care to people in their homes, helping to avoid hospital admissions and enable people to live independently for longer. Local areas will be told to lay out how they will expand access to these teams, which includes understanding level of needs
• better use of virtual wards – which use modern technology to provide patients with hospital-level care at home safely and in familiar surroundings, speeding up their recovery while freeing up hospital beds for patients that need them most
• publishing league tables on performance to drive improved transparency and public accountability and as well as encouraging less effective systems to work more closely with high performing systems to accelerate improvement

Thanks to the investment and reforms announced today (6 June 2025), 800,000 fewer people should be forced to wait more than 4 hours for care in emergency departments this year.

Chief Executive of NHS Providers, Daniel Elkeles, said:

There is a lot to like about this plan. It’s helpful that we’re seeing it in early summer, with time to ensure meaningful measures are in place ahead of the added pressures of winter.

It’s also good to see that so many parts of the system, including primary, community and mental health care, in addition to ambulance and hospital services, have been factored in.

The extra capital investment for same day emergency care and mental health crisis assessment centres and ambulance services is particularly welcome, as is the emphasis on vaccination – and on this we’d urge NHS staff and the public to play their part by getting that protection.

This plan should result in meaningful progress compared to last winter. As the plan acknowledges the public and our staff want to know the NHS can respond quickly, safely and effectively in an emergency. NHS Providers would like to work with NHS England and the government to develop long-term urgent and emergency care plans that are bold and ambitious.

Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) Managing Director, Anna Parry, said:

The new urgent and emergency care plan reaffirms AACE’s vision for the future of NHS ambulance services. By extending and formalising a wider ambulance sector remit in urgent and emergency care, we will be better placed to help resolve some of the key system pressures, reduce the risks for patients and transform patient care while offering a more positive working environment for our people.

By underscoring the importance of a system-wide focus to achieve improvements in urgent and emergency care, this new plan acts as a genuine challenge to all health and social care leaders, encouraging them to plan and act with purpose to achieve the transformation that is needed. Ambulance service leaders continue to proactively seek increased opportunities for greater collaboration with system partners while identifying new strategies and initiatives within their own ambulance trusts to achieve the transformation targets outlined in the plan.

We are particularly heartened to see the plan’s emphasis on the reduction and improved management of hospital handover delays. Handover delays have the greatest detrimental impact on ambulance resources and create unnecessary delays and additional harm for thousands of patients each year. The elimination of corridor care and the focus on reducing 12-hour waits at emergency departments is also welcomed.

Finally, we wholeheartedly endorse and support the plan’s underlined recognition of the impact of the delivery of sub-optimal care on NHS staff, alongside the pivotal role both leadership and a strong system-level approach must play in the transformation of urgent and emergency care.

NHS Confederation Chief Executive, Matthew Taylor, said:

Health leaders across systems, providers and primary care will welcome this plan to provide better, faster and more appropriate emergency care, an area which is facing high demand and rising public concern over performance.

As the plan shows, there is a lot of good practice across the health service to build upon, including expanding the number of same day emergency treatment and mental health crisis assessment centres and rolling out more ambulances.

Making sure the NHS does not continue to fall into crisis each winter will be essential for improving public confidence in the health service. Strong collaboration between health partners and with local government to improve discharges out of hospitals will also be key to progress.

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

Professor Wei Shen Lim KBE will become the new Chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation from October.

• Professor Sir Andrew Pollard will step down as JCVI Chair on 30th September 2025 after 12 years of leadership
• During his tenure, Sir Andrew has been instrumental in advising governments on vaccination matters and chaired numerous committees
• Professor Wei Shen Lim, KBE, who is currently Deputy Chair of the JCVI and Chair of the COVID-19 sub-committee, will become the new JCVI chair from 1st October 2025

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard will step down as Chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on 30th September 2025, after sitting on the committee for over a decade.

The JCVI is an independent departmental expert committee which has worked for over six decades to ensure that immunisation programmes in the UK are both world-leading and a cost-effective use of public money — optimising the protection of children and adults from serious infections.

Sir Andrew was appointed Chair of the JCVI in 2013, having previously served as a member of the JCVI’s meningococcal sub-committee. During his tenure, he has been instrumental in advising governments on vaccination matters, serving not only as Chair of the main JCVI committee, but also as Chair of the human papillomavirus (HPV), influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) sub-committees. Sir Andrew remains a valued expert on vaccination and immunisation as Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, Ashall Professor of Infection and Immunity at the University of Oxford, and a Paediatric Infectious Disease Consultant at Oxford’s Children’s Hospital.

Following an open and competitive recruitment process, Professor Wei Shen Lim, KBE will be appointed as the new Chair of the JCVI from 1st October 2025. Professor Lim, KBE is a Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and an Honorary Professor of Respiratory Medicine for The University of Nottingham. He currently serves as the Deputy Chair of the JCVI and Chair of the COVID-19 sub-committee.

Dr Thomas Waite, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England said:

I am deeply grateful for Sir Andrew’s leadership of the JCVI over the last 12 years. Over this time the JCVI has given advice to support the introduction of vaccination programmes to protect the public against a range of infections including meningococcal disease and RSV. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Sir Andrew for his dedication and expertise.

I am delighted to welcome Professor Lim, KBE as the new Chair of the committee. Professor Lim served as Chair during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensured government received timely advice on the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme to protect the health of the UK public. I very much look forward to continuing to work with him as the new Chair.