Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

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.

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

Government crackdown on rip-off temporary staffing agencies delivers unprecedented savings, as NHS trusts are urged to eradicate agency spending altogether.

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

Government investing £1.2 billion to fix crumbling hospitals and schools across England.

• Government to deliver vital maintenance in hospitals to help prevent cancelled appointments and operations
• Focus put back on education as classrooms and school facilities upgraded to be safe and warm
• Combined £1.2 billion funding is part of government’s promise to deliver public infrastructure improvements through its Plan for Change

Patients and pupils across England are set to benefit from nearly £1.2 billion worth of essential maintenance fixes being rolled out at hospitals and schools.

Over 400 hospitals, mental health units and ambulance sites will be handed £750 million to tackle long-term problems such as leaky pipes, poor ventilation and electrical issues, helping to prevent thousands of cancelled operations and appointments.

And children at 656 schools and sixth forms will benefit from a share of £470 million for projects like fixing crumbling roofs and removing dangerous asbestos – restoring pride in our classrooms and undoing years of dangerous neglect.

The funding is part of the government’s mission to fix the dire state of public service infrastructure it inherited and deliver investment and reform through its Plan for Change.

It will help people benefit from better services and facilities across the health system, and support children to get the best start in life.

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

A decade and a half of underinvestment left hospitals crumbling, with burst pipes flooding emergency departments, faulty electrical systems shutting down operating theatres, and mothers giving birth in outdated facilities that lack basic dignity.

We are on a mission to rebuild our NHS through investment and modernisation.

Patients and staff deserve to be in buildings that are safe, comfortable and fit for purpose. Through our Plan for Change, we will make our NHS fit for the future.

Fixing the backlog of maintenance at NHS hospitals will help prevent cancellations, with services disrupted over 4,000 times in 2023 to 2024 due to issues with poor quality buildings.

A wide range of facilities and services will benefit, including over £100 million for maternity units to enable better care for mothers and their newborns. This will fund critical improvements such as replacing outdated ventilation systems in neonatal intensive care units, creating optimal environmental conditions for vulnerable babies and their families during challenging times.

The funding will also support schools and sixth form colleges that urgently need repairs – giving parents the confidence that their children are learning in safety and comfort.

It is part of the £2.1 billion investment into the school estate this year, as the government forges on with delivering for the public through our Plan for Change – by investing in our children, their futures and the future of this country.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:

The defining image of the school estate under the previous government was children sitting under steel props to stop crumbling concrete falling on their heads. It simply isn’t good enough.

Parents expect their children to learn in a safe warm environment. It’s what children deserve, and it is what we are delivering.

This investment is about more than just buildings – it’s about showing children that their education matters, their futures matter, and this government is determined to give them the best possible start in life.

This investment will deliver energy efficient, warm classrooms with safe outdoor spaces that are not just fit for lessons, but for the future – creating a welcoming and supportive school environment for generations of children so they can achieve and thrive as they progress through their education.

The school and hospital funding packages were confirmed in last year’s Autumn Budget, in which an extra £26 billion was secured for the NHS.

Simon Corben, Director and Head of Profession for NHS Estates and Facilities at NHS England, said:

I welcome this funding as a long-overdue step toward tackling the unacceptable state of parts of the NHS estate. Too many buildings have been allowed to fall into disrepair, putting patient safety and staff working conditions at risk.

It is now vital that NHS England and local leaders deliver – every pound must be spent wisely, with clear accountability and a laser focus on improving frontline care.

The government has already delivered over 3 million additional NHS appointments since June 2024, exceeding its 2 million target. Additionally, over 1,000 GP surgeries are being modernised to enable 8.3 million more appointments annually.

It has also invested in new technology, including 13 DEXA scanners delivering 29,000 extra bone scans and £70 million in radiotherapy machines delivering up to 27,500 additional treatments per year by March 2027.

The Department for Education confirmed a £2.1 billion investment for the school estate for 2025 to 2026, almost £300 million more than the previous year, to fix the foundations of our school estate.

A further £1.4 billion will back the acceleration of the school rebuilding programme this year, with a commitment to kickstart projects at 100 schools this year alone – rejuvenating the school estate by delivering new, high-quality buildings that are not just energy efficient but fit for all pupils needs.

This will provide high-tech facilities that will raise the standards of education through new sports halls, IT rooms, school kitchens and playgrounds that children and staff can enjoy for years to come.

Projects across schools and hospitals will be delivered during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin this summer.

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.