Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

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

Thousands of cancer patients will see faster treatment thanks to new radiotherapy machines.

• Cutting-edge machines will cut waiting times and help 4,500 more patients get treatment faster
• Upgraded tech being rolled out at 28 hospitals can cut the rounds of radiotherapy needed and reach cancers in harder to treat areas like chest, abdomen and pelvis
• Rollout is backed by £70 million provided by government as part of its mission to improve cancer care through its Plan for Change

Thousands of patients will benefit from faster and safer cancer treatment thanks to new cutting-edge radiotherapy machines being rolled out to every region in the country.

The government has paid for new linear accelerator (LINAC) machines at 28 hospitals, which use modern technology to reduce delays to treatment and, in some cases, could reduce the number of hospital visits a patient needs to make by half, helping to cut waiting lists faster.

Replacing these older machines will save as many as 13,000 appointments from being lost to equipment breakdown.

The machines will be rolled out at hospitals across the country from August, funded by a £70 million government investment as part of its plans to improve cancer care through the Plan for Change.

By March 2027, up to 27,500 additional treatments per year will be delivered, including up to 4,500 receiving their first treatment for cancer within 62 days of referral, helping to treat more cancer patients in faster time.

Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the machines are safer for patients and can more precisely target tumours, causing less damage to surrounding healthy tissues. They are particularly effective at targeting cancers in harder to treat areas, such as the chest, abdomen and pelvis.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

There is a revolution taking place in medical technology which can transform treatment for cancer patients. But NHS hospitals are forced to use outdated, malfunctioning equipment thanks to 14 years of underinvestment under the previous government.

Thanks to the investment this government is making in our NHS, we will provide more cancer patients with world-class, cutting-edge care.

By reducing the number of hospital visits required and preventing cancelled appointments, these state of the art radiotherapy machines free up capacity so that thousands more patients are treated on time.

As a cancer survivor, I know just how important timely treatment is. These machines are part of the investment and modernisation that will cut waiting times for patients, through our Plan for Change.

The tech is being prioritised in hospitals which are currently using outdated treatment machines older than 10 years, meaning patients can be treated faster and reducing cancelled appointments due to faults.

It will also increase the availability of Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) cancer treatments, which can more precisely target tumours.

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

Radiotherapy is essential for many cancer patients, so it’s great news that the investment in new machines means that some will need fewer rounds of treatment, as we bring in more sophisticated techniques.

These machines will deliver more precise treatment for patients, which helps them to recover sooner, as well as enabling the NHS to treat people more efficiently as we continue in our efforts to catch and treat more cancers faster.

The new LINAC radiotherapy machines were allocated across England by specialised commissioning teams at NHS England, which will help to improve health inequalities by ensuring every radiotherapy service has the modern equipment needed to offer innovative radiotherapy treatments.

Alongside turbocharging treatment for patients, significant work is being carried out to get cancers diagnosed more quickly than ever before.

Improved performance against the Faster Diagnosis Standard has led to the equivalent of 4,000 extra patients given the all-clear or a definitive cancer diagnosis within 4 weeks in March 2025 compared to the same time the year before, to reach over 217,000 in total in March 2025.

Patients are also getting easier access to vital tests, checks and scans, with community diagnostic centres delivering almost 2.5 million on high streets and at other convenient locations in March.

Senior policy manager at Cancer Research UK, Matt Sample, said:

All cancer patients, no matter where they live, should have access to the best treatment, so it’s great to see investment in cutting-edge equipment for hospitals across the country.

Modern LINAC machines can offer more efficient, targeted treatment with fewer side effects for patients, which is why it’s vital that there is sustained funding to replace them routinely.

The government has a huge opportunity in its upcoming national cancer plan for England to tackle unequal access to optimal treatment, and we look forward to working with them to help give every patient the care they deserve.

Kate Seymour, Head of External Affairs at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:

Today marks an exciting step forward for cancer treatment in England. Many people across the country are facing long delays for care but today proves that better is possible.

Investment in cutting-edge technology is essential to bring down waiting times and help more people with cancer get the best care the UK has to offer, whoever and wherever they are.

The investment in this new technology follows on from the government rolling out 13 new DEXA scanners across the country, which will allow 29,000 extra bone scans per year to be delivered for patients as part of the Plan for Change.

The government’s Plan for Change will continue to put patients first as it works to end the misery felt by millions up and down the country who have been denied the care they need for too long.

Over 3 million appointments have already been delivered since the end of June 2024, smashing the government’s target of delivering 2 million extra operations, scans and appointments. This is alongside over 8.3 million more appointments each year becoming available as 1,000 doctors surgeries receive a bricks and mortar upgrade to modernise practices and expand capacity.

Trusts getting an upgraded scanner

The 28 trusts receiving an upgraded scanner are:

• Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
• Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
• United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
• University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
• Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
• Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
• Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
• Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
• Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
• Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
• Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
• University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
• South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
• Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
• Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
• The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
• Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
• University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Barts Health NHS Trust
• Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 20 May 2025.

Better protections for British public and NHS thanks to deal adopted at the World Health Assembly in Geneva.

• New Agreement will protect British public and NHS from future global health threats while preserving UK sovereignty
• Pandemic Agreement will safeguard lives and UK economy by improving world’s collective ability to prevent, prepare for, detect and respond to global disease threats
• This follows long negotiation process to ensure agreement is firmly in UK’s national interest

The British people, our NHS and the economy will be better protected against future global health threats thanks to a new World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement adopted by the UK today.

The deal marks a significant step forward in stronger domestic and global prevention by improving the way countries around the world work together to detect and combat pandemic threats.

The UK government has been actively engaged in negotiations to ensure a strong final agreement. The Agreement adopted at the World Health Assembly in Geneva respects national sovereignty while encouraging nations to work together more effectively to address shared global health threats, in turn helping strengthen our national security which is a key part of this government’s Plan for Change. There are no provisions that would give the WHO powers to impose domestic public health decisions on the UK.

Minister of State for International Development Baroness Chapman said:

The Pandemic Agreement is a great example of the UK working with our partners to support countries combat disease and strengthen their health systems. Acting together will help us to prevent pandemics, and prepare for and respond to any future pandemic threats.

Diseases cross borders, and our diplomacy must too, if we are to prevent a repeat of the devastation caused by Covid-19. That’s why this agreement will make the world a healthier and safer place.

Health Minister Ashley Dalton said:

COVID-19 showed us the vital importance of international cooperation to save lives. This landmark agreement will help protect British people from future pandemic threats and safeguard our health system, supporting our mission to build an NHS fit for the future.

Our national interest and the safety and wellbeing of the British public will always be our first priority. This agreement maintains our sovereignty while ensuring the NHS and the UK as a whole will be better prepared for possible future global health emergencies, through stronger early warning systems and faster response capabilities.

Our world-class life sciences sector will also benefit from increased innovation in vaccines and treatments, boosting growth and improving care for patients across the UK.

UKHSA Chief Executive Dame Jenny Harries said:

It is gratifying to see the Pandemic Agreement adopted. It is clear that international co-operation and collaboration must be at the very heart of our pandemic preparedness strategy if it is to be effective, and this agreement is a welcome step towards making the world a safer place from pandemic threats.

UKHSA has consistently been committed to sharing data and analysis on pathogens with pandemic potential with our international partners, and we will continue to do so as we work to develop the global capacity to respond to emerging threats to public health.

This is also good news for scientific innovation and the UK’s world-leading life sciences industry, opening the door to enabling high quality vaccines to be delivered faster in the next pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had an enduring impact on lives and livelihoods around the world. Thousands of families in the UK lost loved ones, children missed out on pivotal learning and development opportunities, and businesses were forced to close their doors. The estimated cost of the UK government’s COVID-19 measures was over £300 billion.

The new Pandemic Agreement will help avoid a repeat of this devastation by creating a framework for countries to take action together to better prevent pandemics – by improving disease surveillance so we can detect and respond to new health threats sooner, and by speeding up innovation of life-saving vaccines and treatments.

The aim is to prevent pandemic threats from emerging in the first place and stopping them in their tracks when they do.

It will facilitate swifter pathogen and pathogen data sharing so we can act quickly to prevent further spread. It will also enable the UK to develop vaccines, treatments and tests faster, which will help save lives and drive economic growth in our world-leading life sciences sector.

124 member states agreed to adopt the Pandemic Agreement today, demonstrating strong international commitment to multilateralism and collective action to strengthen global health security.

The final text represents a strong outcome for the UK. Key wins include:

• Commitments on pandemic prevention, including for health, animal, and environmental sectors to collaborate through a “One Health” approach – a major step toward preventing disease spillover from animals to humans;
• Provisions that will foster innovation, enhance global research and development, and strengthen supply chains;
• The Pandemic Agreement paves the way for a new and voluntary Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system which should see pharmaceutical companies get faster access to the pathogens and genetic sequences that they need to create new vaccines, treatments and tests to respond to a pandemic. In return, manufacturers who voluntarily sign up to the system – not the government – will share a portion of their production with the WHO to allocate where it is most needed;
• The PABS system is entirely voluntary for pharmaceutical companies, who may choose to join to gain faster access to pathogen data for innovation. There are no requirements placed on governments to share vaccines or treatments they have purchased.
• The Pandemic Agreement does not include any provisions that would give the WHO powers to impose domestic public health decisions on the UK. The sovereignty of states is one of the guiding principles of the Agreement.

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

Dentists in England encouraged to take part to inform government plans to improve NHS dentistry.

• Dentists nationwide encouraged to take part in survey on costs of running dental practices
• Findings will support government’s plans to reform dental contract by giving a more accurate picture of what is driving up dental costs
• Research is part of mission to improve access to dental care for patients through government’s Plan for Change

Dentists across England are being urged to take part in a new nationwide survey to help inform the government’s long-term dental reform programme.

The survey will gather information on the costs and pressures involved in running a dental practice.

The research is part of the government’s wider plans to reform the dental contract in England, providing better access to care for patients by making NHS work more appealing to dentists.

Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said:

We are working to fix an NHS dentistry sector left broken by years of neglect.

We have already rolled out an extra 700,000 urgent dentistry appointments and introduced a supervised toothbrushing programme to prevent tooth decay in young children in the most deprived communities.

More work is needed, but to find the right solution we must make sure we are clear about the problem. Through this survey, we will gain a better understanding of the pressures faced by the sector so we can fix them and deliver better care for patients through our Plan for Change.

Results of the survey will support the development of the government’s dental reform programme and the annual pay review process conducted by the independent Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB).

It forms part of the government’s Plan for Change to improve NHS dental services, addressing challenges that have left many patients struggling to access care, amid reports that some have undertaken DIY dentistry.

The government has started on its manifesto commitment to roll out extra urgent dental care appointments across the country.

It is particularly targeting areas of dental deserts, where patients have struggled to get appointments, and has rolled out a national supervised toothbrushing programme for 3 to 5 year olds in early years settings – including nurseries and primary schools.

Practice owners who complete the anonymous survey can also register their interest in participating in follow-up interviews to provide more detailed insights into the financial challenges they face.

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

NHS leaders will face new performance-based pay system with bonuses for improved patient care and penalties for failing trust executives.

• CEOs cutting waiting times and delivering improvements for patients could be rewarded with bonuses of up to 10%
• But failing trust execs will have annual pay rises docked under tough new government measures
• New measures are part of government’s Plan for Change to deliver investment and reform for the NHS

Failing trust leaders will have annual pay rises docked under tough new measures aimed at improving NHS performance and driving progress on cutting waiting lists.

Bonuses of up to 10% will also be on offer for top performers under the new ‘carrot and stick’ approach.

The bold shakeup will transform NHS services from boardroom to bedside, cutting waiting lists and driving better patient care as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

Under the new plans, the government will look to learn from some of the most effective businesses in the country to recruit top talent to struggling trusts – with leadership vacancies in badly performing areas coming with a temporary pay increase of 15%, worth up to £45,000 (note 1).

Pay bands for senior managers will also be refreshed to attract and retain effective leaders within the NHS.

At the same time, failing CEOs could see up to £15,000 (note 2) docked from their salaries if they run into debt or fail to deliver improvements. This is in addition to any existing processes to tackle poor performance, where persistently failing managers could be sacked if they do not turn things around.

The bold overhaul also establishes stricter accountability for very senior managers, demanding greater financial rigour across all NHS trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs) and a drive for productivity.

Today’s announcement comes after Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting declared in November there would be “no more reward for failure”.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

Some of the best businesses and most effective organisations across Britain and the world reward their top talent so they can keep on delivering. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t do the same in our NHS.

We will reward leaders who are cutting waiting times and making sure patients get better services. But bonuses and pay rises will be a reward and not a right – because I’m determined that every penny we invest through our Plan for Change is money well spent.

Our carrot and stick reforms will boost productivity, tackle underperformance and drive up standards for patients.

Sir Jim Mackey, NHS England Chief Executive, said:

If we are to consistently reach the standards of care the public rightly expect, it is clear that we need to reward those who are delivering for patients.

An important element of driving improvements must be strengthening the link between pay and operational performance at a very senior level – this happens in almost every other sector and there is no reason for the NHS to shy away from it, particularly when we rely on money that comes directly from taxpayers’ pockets.

We will be working together with local leaders to improve transparency and ensure progress is recognised, while offering sufficient flexibility to attract talented candidates to the most challenging roles and organisations.

Today’s guidelines setting out new penalties and rewards for trust leaders will introduce learning from leading businesses in the NHS.

It will include strict rules for NHS bosses, who will be expected to spend budgets wisely and ensure trusts are not going into debt. The government wants to see trusts deliver more efficiency, ensuring patients get more for taxpayers’ money being invested.

Today’s move follows some of the most ambitious efficiency targets in the health service’s history. As set out in NHS England’s planning guidance published in January, NHS organisations will need to reduce their cost base by at least 1% and achieve 4% improvement in productivity and efficiency this financial year to deal with demand growth.

The new performance-based pay structure will help deliver on these targets, improving services and delivering better care for patients.

As part of the plans, the government is also bringing together pay structures for senior managers at ICBs and NHS trusts to boost consistency and align standards.

Any trust or ICB that fails to comply with the new guidelines will be required to publicly justify its decision in its annual report under a strict ‘comply or explain’ approach.

The tough new measures form part of the government’s Plan for Change, which will see the government deliver investment and reform to cut waiting times from 18 months to 18 weeks.

Notes

Note 1: based on the highest current salary of a trust CEO (under the new framework).

Note 2: the £15,000 is based on last year’s 5% pay uplifts, and the highest current salary of a trust CEO being £299,250 (under the new framework).

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 14 May 2025.

More people were seen faster for scans including endoscopies, ultrasounds and MRIs.

• Latest data shows 44,000 fewer people waited more than 6 weeks for diagnostic tests compared to last year
• Government drive to slash waiting times means patients are being seen faster for scans including endoscopies, ultrasounds and MRIs
• Progress is latest milestone in government’s mission to reform the NHS through its Plan for Change

Tens of thousands more patients are getting crucial diagnostic scans within weeks under the government’s Plan for Change to slash NHS waiting times.

Latest data shows 44,000 fewer people were waiting more than 6 weeks for procedures like endoscopies, ultrasounds and MRIs compared to February last year (2024).

It means some patients being referred for suspected illnesses including heart conditions, spinal cord injuries and various cancers could be diagnosed faster, helping save lives.

The government is continuing to expand community diagnostic centres (CDCs) nationwide, offering 12-hour, 7-day access to vital tests and appointments.

The expansion is funded from the extra £26 billion investment in the health service delivered at the Autumn Budget, bringing care closer to communities who need it.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

I’ve been honest that fixing our NHS will be a long road, but this government is bringing in the investment and reform that’s needed to get us there.

The additional diagnostic capacity we’ve unlocked isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet – it’s about giving people their lives back.

Every ultrasound, MRI or endoscopy represents someone who can now plan their future with certainty rather than fear.

Through our Plan for Change, we will get our NHS back on its feet and make it fit for the future.

There are currently 169 conveniently located CDCs across the country, bringing care closer to patient’s doorsteps.

Many of these will be opened 12 hours a day, 7 days a week where possible, making it easier for people to get their tests and appointments done at a time that suits them.

Between July and February, around 4.5 million tests, checks and scans were carried out in CDCs – a 50% increase on the previous year.

This equates to 18,000 more checks being delivered every day for patients to diagnose some of the biggest killers – including cancer and heart disease.

Dr Rhydian Phillips, Director of Diagnostics and Transport at NHS England, said:

CDCs are vital in helping ensure patients can get the all-clear or be diagnosed and treated for a range of conditions as quickly as possible.

They are helping us to see more people than ever before and are at the heart of communities in locations that are more convenient for patients – with some even popping up in shopping centres.

NHS staff are working incredibly hard to provide more tests and checks, while our campaigns encouraging people to come forward with worrying signs are also hugely important. If anyone has any health concerns, we would urge them to seek help and advice as it could save their life.

More patients are being seen faster across the NHS thanks to the government’s push to slash waiting times and tackle the inherited waiting list of 7.6 million.

Since July, more than 3 million extra elective care appointments have been rolled out, ensuring more patients can get assessed and treated more quickly.

And the drive is having a big impact on cancer care, with an extra 80,000 patients having cancer diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days.

The progress forms part of the government’s wider Plan for Change and its drive to meet the NHS standard that 92% of patients are treated within 18 weeks by the end of this Parliament.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 12 May 2025.

New measures to make it a criminal offence for people who are not qualified as a nurse to use the title and mislead the public.

Anyone misleading the public and describing themselves as a nurse without the relevant qualifications and registration will be committing a crime under new measures announced by the government to protect the title ‘nurse’ in law.

The move will help to boost protections and safety for both patients and staff, driving up standards and improving patient experience across the NHS through the government’s Plan for Change.

Currently, anyone – including those struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for serious misconduct or criminal convictions – can call themselves a nurse. This can result in the public thinking they’re getting advice and care from an expert professional like a nurse when they are not.

Previous reported examples of the job title being misused include someone calling herself a nurse at a large public event after being struck off and another reportedly masquerading as an aesthetic nurse.

There will be exemptions for relevant professions like veterinary nurse, dental nurse and nursery nurse, where the title ‘nurse’ is legitimately used.

The government is listening to nurses and recognises they are the backbone of the NHS, and today’s announcement follows campaigning by unions for the government to act on the issue, as well as by Dawn Butler MP who introduced a ten minute rule bill earlier this year to protect the title ‘nurse’.

Through the Plan for Change, the government is driving forward vital reform to get the NHS back on its feet and fit for the future. This year, a refreshed workforce plan will also be published to ensure the health service has the right workforce in the right place at the right time.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

Nurses carry out lifesaving work every day, and I am determined we do everything we can to support them and safeguard trust in the profession.

I’ve been appalled to read reports of so-called nurses spreading dangerous misinformation and harming the public.

This new legislation will help crack down on bogus beauticians and conspiracy theorists masquerading as nurses, and those attempting to mislead patients.

The British people hold nurses in the highest regard, and we trust them in our most vulnerable moments, so patients need to know they are genuinely being seen by a nurse. Now they will.

This is part of our Plan for Change to fix the NHS and gets the right staff working in the right place at the right time.

Only the title ‘registered nurse’ is currently protected in law. The new legislation will change that – ensuring that only those individuals registered with the NMC can legally use the title. Anyone violating this will be committing a criminal offence and could face a hefty fine running into thousands of pounds.

There have been previous reports of bogus nurses misleadingly using the title. One ran a cosmetic clinic offering Botox and dermal filler treatments for several years despite not being registered with the NMC.

Another gave a speech at a COVID-19 conspiracy rally that likened NHS nurses and doctors to war criminals – spreading misinformation about vaccines and bringing her former colleagues into disrepute. She continued to call herself a nurse despite being struck off by the NMC.

A previous freedom of information request showed that across 93% of all NHS trusts, there were more than 8,000 people with the term ‘nurse’ in their job title who had no registered nursing qualifications. Although these people are supervised and providing important care, their job titles can cause confusion. Some, including nursery nurses, will be exempt under this new legislation.

Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said:

The trust that people place in registered nurses is based on the rigorous training and education required to be registered as a nurse, which gives us the skills and knowledge to deliver high quality, safe and personalised care.

Nurses value this trust and protecting the title of nurse can give added confidence and clarity to patients and the public on who is delivering their care and the skills and knowledge they have.

There are already various safeguards in place to deter people from pretending to be a nurse. The most serious cases would be captured by fraud offences and depending on the case they can also be prosecuted for other more serious offences like causing grievous bodily harm, assault or manslaughter.

The new legislation – expected to be laid this Parliament – will help to strengthen those existing safeguards.

Registered nurses go through high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes and complete a process called revalidation every 3 years – ensuring they can continually update their skill set. The new measures reflect that.

Professor Nicola Ranger, Royal College of Nursing General Secretary and Chief Executive, said:

This is an important moment for our safety-critical profession, after years of campaigning.

A change in the law will recognise the knowledge, professionalism and clinical expertise that comes with being a registered nurse. It will provide better legal protections for nursing professionals and reassurance to patients.

Crucially, this is an opportunity to begin the journey to properly valuing nursing as a profession, where respect, reward and investment match the crucial nature of our work.

Dr Crystal Oldman CBE, Chief Executive at the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing, said:

Nurses and the millions of people they care for will benefit by this proposed change in legislation.

This is a patient safety issue that the QICN has been campaigning on for some time.

People need confidence that when the person caring for them is described as a nurse, that person really is a qualified and registered nurse.

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

The public should always feel confident that anyone using the title ‘nurse’ is a registered professional with all the safeguards that brings.

We look forward to working with the government and our stakeholders to deliver on it. In the meantime, it is already an offence for somebody to hold themselves out as a registered nurse when they are not.

Helga Pile, UNISON Head of Health, said:

Nurses and other NHS workers rightly enjoy a high level of trust because of the brilliant and important work they do.

Charlatans and conspiracy theorists mustn’t be allowed to harm patients or damage nurses’ reputation and good standing with the public.

It’s only right that anyone that tries to will now feel the full force of the law.

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

We welcome this commitment to ensuring patients know who is treating them and offering healthcare advice, and that those professionals are properly qualified. With health misinformation increasingly common, it’s more important than ever that patients can trust the expertise of those caring for them.

Alison Morton, CEO, Institute of Health Visiting, said:

The Institute of Health Visiting fully supports the campaign to protect the title ‘nurse’ in legislation. This is urgently needed to protect the public and provide assurance that the person providing their care has the qualifications, knowledge, skills, expertise and professionalism to deliver safe and effective care. Nursing is a safety-critical workforce. And, in our view, there is only one clear path forward – the current gap in legislation needs to be closed as a matter of urgency.

Professor Greta Westwood CBE PhD RN, CEO of the Florence Nightingale Foundation, said:

We welcome this recognition of the importance of the nursing role. Nurses are skilled and highly trained professionals, playing a key leadership role in the health and social care sectors, particularly around speaking out on patient safety and workforce challenges.

This International Nurses Day, we are coming together to celebrate the incredible work that nurses do across the UK and globally, and we support the government taking this next step, working with the UK regulator, to protect our nurses and those we serve.

Background information

The department will also establish the exemptions where ‘nurse’ can still be used as part of a professional title.

The title ‘nurse’ is already used across multiple professions (for example, registered nurses, dental nurses, nursery nurses and veterinary nurses).

We expect the new protection of title offence to be a summary offence. Where a person is found guilty of an offence on summary conviction they will be liable to a fine across the UK.

These changes, which require legislative change, will be implemented within this Parliament as part of the government’s commitment to reform the regulation of health and care professionals in the UK.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 12 May 2025.

Government to roll out the Avoiding Brain Injuries in Childbirth (ABC) programme nationally.

• Government rolls out NHS programme to boost maternity safety
• Scheme will help maternity staff rapidly respond to emergencies and protect mothers and babies
• Hundreds of maternity staff, including obstetricians, midwives and anaesthetists, involved in developing and testing quality improvement programme

Expectant mothers will receive safer maternity care as a new NHS programme to help prevent brain injury during childbirth is rolled out across the country.

The Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth (ABC) programme will help maternity staff to better identify signs that the baby is in distress during labour so they can act quickly.

It will also help staff respond more effectively to obstetric emergencies, such as where the baby’s head becomes lodged deep in the mother’s pelvis during a caesarean birth.

The government programme, which will begin from September and follows an extensive development phase and pilot scheme, will reduce the number of avoidable brain injuries during childbirth – helping to prevent lifelong conditions like cerebral palsy.

The national rollout is only one step the government is taking to improve maternity services under its Plan for Change to fix the health service, as it reforms the NHS to ensure all women receive safe, personalised and compassionate care.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

All expectant mothers giving birth in an NHS hospital should have peace of mind that they are in safe hands.

This vital programme will give staff across the country the right tools and training to deliver better care to women and their babies, reducing the devastating impact of avoidable brain injury.

Under our Plan for Change, we are supporting trusts to make rapid improvements and training thousands more midwives – but I know more needs to be done. We will put women’s voices right at the heart of our reforms as we work to improve care.

The national rollout follows a pilot in 12 maternity units that was launched in October and delivered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and the THIS (The Healthcare Improvement Studies) Institute.

The pilot has shown the programme will fill an important gap in current training by bringing multidisciplinary teams together to work more collaboratively than ever before, to improve outcomes. The programme will give clinicians more confidence to take swift action managing an emergency during labour.

It is expected to reduce unacceptable inequalities in maternity outcomes across England – so that most maternity units achieve outcomes comparable to the highest-performing 20% of trusts.

This government is dedicated to improving maternity services more widely and is committed to training thousands more midwives, as well as setting an explicit target to close the Black and Asian maternal mortality gap.

In addition, we have allocated an extra £57 million for Start for Life services, helping expectant and new mothers with their infants by providing expert, trusted advice and guidance around pregnancy, birth and motherhood.

Ranee Thakar, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said:

The ABC programme supports multidisciplinary maternity teams to deliver safer, more personalised care. Hundreds of maternity staff, including obstetricians, midwives and anaesthetists, have been involved in developing and testing this quality improvement programme.

We have heard what a difference it makes, supporting teams to work effectively together in time-sensitive and high-pressure situations. The RCOG is extremely proud to have been part of this fantastic collaboration.

Gill Walton, Royal College of Midwives Chief Executive, said:

Every midwife, maternity support worker, obstetrician, anaesthetist and sonographer wants to provide good, safe care – and the best way to do that is by working and training together. The ABC programme has brought together all those involved in maternity care, offering practical solutions to some of the most acute clinical challenges.

Crucially the ABC programme tools and training have been developed based on the voices of women, families and maternity staff. This has been the key to the success of the pilot programme.

Equally the will and drive of midwives and the wider multidisciplinary team to improve safety and outcomes for women and their families has been evident across the course of the training at the pilot sites.

The ABC programme has the potential to reduce the devastating impact of brain injuries during childbirth and the RCM is proud to have been part of this innovative programme and we hope to see this adopted and implemented across maternity services.

Professor Mary Dixon-Woods, Director of The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute, said:

The ABC programme design is based on the principle that evidence-based, co-designed patient-focused standardisation of clinical practice can reduce unwarranted variation and improve care and outcomes.

Crucially, this needs to be supported by comprehensive improvement resources, including training, tools and assets to enable good clinical practice and teamwork and respectful and inclusion communication and decision-making with women and birth partners.

The pilot has shown that it’s possible to train people effectively and efficiently. A national commitment to implement the programme at scale will be important in ensuring that the benefits are seen.

Notes to editors

The following sites participated in the pilot scheme:

• Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
• Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
• Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust
• Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Croydon Health Services NHS Trust
• Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
• St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
• Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 12 May 2025.

Government announces 29,000 extra bone scans will be delivered each year, helping with earlier diagnosis of illness such as osteoporosis.

• Government confirms 13 new state-of-the-art DEXA scanners to support better bone care
• Tens of thousands of patients set to benefit through extra scans
• Scanners are delivered as part of government commitment upheld in Plan for Change

29,000 extra bone scans per year will be delivered for patients across England thanks to the government rolling out 13 new DEXA scanners.

The new scanners were promised as part of the government’s Elective Reform Plan and mark another step closer towards fixing the NHS and making it fit for the future, as set out in the Plan for Change.

More than one in three women and one in five men will experience a fracture due to osteoporosis in their lifetime and so these scanners are equipped with advanced technology to identify with minute detail the quality of a patient’s bones.

They will help with early diagnosis of illness such as osteoporosis, which weakens bones, making them so fragile that even a cough or sneeze could cause a painful break for people across the country.

13 areas will receive the new equipment this year, including hospitals in West Yorkshire and North East Lincolnshire serving some of the most under resourced and rural communities, with patients already receiving invitations for appointments to use the new scanners.

Seven of the new machines will enable trusts to offer new or extended DEXA services, improving access and reducing patient journey times. Another six scanners will replace existing machines, helping to increase the reliability and productivity of bone diagnostic services.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

Having seen the pain of a family member breaking a hip because of her osteoporosis, I know only too well how debilitating  a condition it can be.

We know that early diagnosis of brittle bone conditions means faster treatment and better outcomes for patients, which is why I promised before the election that we would deliver an extra 15,000 scans a year. The investment the government is making in new scanners across the country will deliver an extra 29,000 scans a year, almost double what I promised.

Our Plan for Change is cutting waiting lists by investing in our NHS, which is only possible because of the increase in employers’ national insurance.

Sue Mann, Clinical Lead for Women’s Health at NHS England, said:

This is a welcome targeted investment for the NHS Trusts across England set to receive these new scanners from this month – they measure tiny reductions in bone density that can help us diagnose osteoporosis in its early stages, before you break a bone.

These scanners are key tools for prevention, particularly for some women who are known to be at higher risk of osteoporosis such as those who go through early menopause.

Craig Jones, Chief Executive of the Royal Osteoporosis Society, said:

This investment in scanners is really good news for people with osteoporosis.  We want to thank Wes Streeting for ensuring bone scans are part of his package to modernise scanning technology so we can catch diseases like osteoporosis earlier.

This, and the recent good news on waiting lists, gives us confidence the NHS is beginning to turn a corner.

Mr Haitham Hamoda, Trustee and Past Chair British Menopause Society said:

This is very welcome news. Osteoporosis and related fractures is a significant public health issue. It is estimated that more than one in three women may sustain an osteoporosis related fracture with significant associated morbidity and mortality.

In addition, women with premature ovarian insufficiency and early menopause have a significantly increased risk of osteoporosis and related fractures. Increasing access and availability to bone density screening and assessment will improve detection and allow earlier discussion of preventative measure and treatment.

Dr Katharine Halliday, President of the Royal College of Radiologists, said:

We welcome the pledge for more DEXA scanners which will help to deliver better care for patients at risk of osteoporosis.

Increasing capacity to deliver scans in the hospitals and regions that need it most will be an important step to make sure patients receive timely, effective care no matter where they live.

Over three million appointments have already been delivered since the end of June 2024, smashing the government’s target of delivering 2 million extra operations, scans and appointments.

Background information:

The following locations will receive new scanners:

• Harefield Hospital (Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust)
• North Middlesex Hospital (North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust)
• Newark Hospital (Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation NHS Trust)
• Royal Victoria Infirmary (The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)
• CDC Ellesmere Port (Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation NHS Trust)
• Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
• Cranleigh Village Hospital (Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust)

The following locations will receive replacement scanners:

• Leeds General Infirmary (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)
• Wharfedale General Hospital (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)
• Dewsbury Hospital (Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust)
• Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital (Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust)
• Salford Royal (Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust)
• St Catherine’s Hospital (Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust)

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 8 May 2025.

Government announces £1.8 million investment to transform NHS care for veterans, serving personnel and their families.

• New training for NHS workers to improve healthcare support for veterans.
• Programme will improve access and outcomes for veterans, serving personnel and their families.
• Regional trainers will work with GP practices and mental health services to embed expertise where it is needed most

Armed forces veterans and their families will benefit from improved and targeted healthcare, the government has announced as the nation marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

A new training programme will ensure NHS staff across the country are supported to meet the unique health needs of veterans, serving personnel and their families.

The new programme will see NHS staff across England receiving dedicated training to help them identify and support patients with military backgrounds. GPs, doctors and NHS nurses will work with regional trainers to make sure they embed this support into their services.

Veterans can require specialised care for injuries sustained in combat, as well as mental health support for conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

Many also struggle to navigate civilian healthcare systems and may not self-identify as veterans to NHS staff, putting them at risk of missing out on the additional services and bespoke services that are already available.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we’re honouring our Armed Forces not just with words, but with action.

Too many veterans face a system that doesn’t fully understand their needs – that changes today.

This new training programme will help NHS staff across England give our veterans the personalised care they deserve. Through our Plan for Change the NHS will deliver for those who have delivered for Britain.

As of April 2025, every NHS Trust in the country became officially ‘Veteran Aware’, a status which means they have been recognised for demonstrating their understanding of military healthcare needs. The three-year training programme will build on this success and will be rolled out from October 2025 across England.

The programme, backed by £1.8 million, will support NHS bodies to demonstrate their commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, which ensures those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly and not disadvantaged because of their military service.

The training will support healthcare providers to improve identification of Armed Forces personnel, deliver more personalised care, and ultimately improve health outcomes for veterans and their families.

Kate Davies CBE, National Director for Armed Forces Health, NHS England said:

On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we honour the extraordinary legacy of our Armed Forces— and reaffirm the NHS’s commitment to those who’ve served.

As part of the Armed Forces Covenant, we’re launching our most comprehensive training programme yet to meet the unique healthcare needs of veterans.

Developed with frontline experts in veterans’ health and those with lived experience, this national initiative ensures those who’ve served receive the high-quality, specialised care they deserve.

Carol Betteridge OBE, Deputy Services Director at Help for Heroes said:

We’re pleased to see this important step forward in supporting veterans’ healthcare. Help for Heroes has already been delivering similar training through our Veteran Champion programme in NHS settings, and we look forward to working with NHS England to share our experience and help improve care for veterans and their families.

The announcement follows a £50 million boost in funding to ensure veterans across the UK will have easier access to essential care and support under a new UK-wide veteran support system, called VALOUR.

Through the Plan for Change, the government has delivered an extra 3 million appointments since July to cut waiting lists and provided the biggest boost to GP funding in years – an extra £889 million, and on Tuesday 6 May, the government announced a further major cash injection of over £102 million to upgrade and modernize GP practices.

The government is also bringing back the family doctor, recruiting an additional 1,500 GPs since October, and cutting red tape so GPs spend more time caring for patients.

Background

• The National Training and Education Plan will cost £1.8 million over three years (2025/26 – 2027/28), with funding already secured.
• All NHS Trusts have achieved Veteran Aware Accreditation under the programme led by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance.
• Key objectives of the programme include:
  • Driving down health inequalities and unwarranted variation in healthcare for the Armed Forces community
  • Increasing awareness of the unique characteristics of the Armed Forces community
  • Supporting NHS systems to deliver their statutory responsibilities under the Armed Forces Covenant
• The Training and Education leads will:
  • Provide standardised national Armed Forces awareness training for NHS staff at all levels
  • Help inform NHS commissioning bodies in developing health needs assessments for the Armed Forces community
  • Assist Integrated Care Boards to support armed forces families to better access health services

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

Patients will benefit from over 8.3 million more appointments each year as over 1,000 doctor’s surgeries receive a bricks and mortar upgrade to modernise practices.

Backed by the government’s major cash injection of over £102 million, over 1,000 GP surgeries will receive vital funding to create additional space to see more patients, boost productivity and improve patient care, following years of neglect.

Right now, many GP surgeries could be seeing more patients, but don’t have enough room or the right facilities to accommodate them. From creating new consultation and treatment rooms to making better use of existing space, these quick fixes will help patients across the country be seen faster.

This represents the biggest investment in GP facilities in 5 years and is only possible because of the difficult choices made by the government to invest £26 billion into the NHS. And it is another measure helping the government shift care out of hospital and into the community, as part of its Plan for Change.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

It will be a long road, but this government is putting in the work to fix our NHS and make it fit for the future.

These are simple fixes for our GP surgeries but for too long they were left to ruin, allowing waiting lists to build and stopping doctors treating more patients.

It is only because of the necessary decisions we took in the Budget that we are able to invest in GP surgeries, start tackling the 8am scramble and deliver better services for patients. The extra investment and reform this government is making, as part of its Plan for Change, will transform our NHS so it can once again be there for you when you need it.

In Norwich, Prospect Medical Practice – serving nearly 7,000 patients in some of the city’s most deprived areas – will create new clinical rooms to deliver more patient consultations.

In the Black Country, vacant office spaces in Harden Health Centre will be converted into clinical consulting rooms, allowing more patient access to primary care.

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

We know more needs to be done to improve patient access to general practice and this investment in over one thousand primary care premises will help do this.

Bringing GP premises up to a similar condition across England is important to improve patient experience of NHS services, while making primary care a better working environment as we seek to retain and recruit more staff.

It will also help to create additional space and extend the capacity of current premises as we improve access further and bring care closer to the communities where people live as part of the 10 Year Health Plan.

Lord Darzi’s independent report found outdated, inefficient buildings create barriers to delivering high-quality patient care and reduce staff productivity. Today’s boost will tackle this, to make services fit for the future.

Lord Ara Darzi said:

My review found that the primary care estate is simply not fit for purpose, with many GP surgeries housed in inflexible, outdated buildings that cannot enable safe, high-quality care. Today’s investment marks a crucial turning point in addressing this long-standing issue, helping create the modern, purpose-built primary care facilities that patients and staff deserve.

This is the first national capital fund for primary care estates since 2020 and part of a comprehensive package of GP support, alongside recruiting 1,500 additional GPs and reducing bureaucracy.

Projects will be delivered during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin in summer 2025.

Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patients Association said:

Today’s investment in improving GP surgeries is a much-needed step towards better access to care closer to home.

Our reporting shows nearly one-third of patients struggle to book GP appointments, and we have long highlighted what matters in healthcare facilities: truly accessible spaces where everyone receives care with dignity. The potential for 8.3 million additional appointments from these refurbishments will make a real difference to communities waiting for care.

Crucially, it delivers on what patients themselves have called for: modern, accessible spaces that support high-quality care. We look forward to seeing these upgrades rolled out, with a continued focus on ensuring patients everywhere get timely support in settings that support their dignity. This investment represents a meaningful step toward realising what patients have long been asking for.

Ruth Rankine, Primary Care Director at the NHS Confederation, said:

GPs and their teams welcome this vital capital funding to modernise premises to deliver high quality care, closer to home, and fit for the 21st century.

Primary care is the front door of the health service and has been managing increasing demand, yet a historic lack of capital funding in estates has been one of the biggest barriers to improving productivity and creating buildings suitable for modern health care – with a fifth of GP estates pre-dating the NHS and half more than 30 years old.

If we are serious about shifting care from hospital to community, from sickness to prevention, and from analogue to digital, then sustained investment in primary and community estates, equipment and technology is vital.

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said:

Our last survey of members found that two in five GPs considered their premises unfit for purpose. This not only makes for a poor experience for both patients and practice staff, but it restricts the care and services a practice can provide. Nearly 90% of respondents to our survey said their practice didn’t have enough consulting rooms, and three quarters didn’t have enough space to take on additional GP trainees.

Today’s announcement is an encouraging interim measure that shows the Government is listening and acknowledges that inadequate GP infrastructure needs to be addressed. We now need to see this followed up by further long-term investment.

These upgrades complement the government’s wider NHS reforms, recognising that investment alone isn’t enough and fundamental reform is essential to fix our broken healthcare system.

The government is cutting pointless red tape through the new GP contract, expanding the NHS App to put patients in control of their healthcare, introducing the Advice and Guidance scheme to reduce unnecessary referrals, and enabling community pharmacists to prescribe for routine conditions with a new investment package.

Together, these changes free up clinicians’ time and bring care closer to home.

This is just the beginning of the transformation of primary care. Through our 10 Year Health Plan more care will be shifted out of hospitals and into communities where patients can access it more easily.

This government is going further and faster than ever to turn around the NHS, making it fit for the future. Over 3.1 million elective appointments have already been delivered since July 2024, 6 months ahead of schedule.