Government issues rallying cry to the nation to help fix NHS

The biggest national conversation about the future of the NHS since its birth is set to be launched today (Monday 21 October), as the entire country is called upon to share their experiences of our health service and help shape the government's 10 Year Health Plan. 

Members of the public, as well as NHS staff and experts will be invited to share their experiences views and ideas for fixing the NHS via the online platform, Change.NHS.uk, which will be live until the start of next year, and available via the NHS App.  

The public engagement exercise will help shape the government's 10 Year Health Planwhich will be published in spring 2025 and will be underlined by three big shifts in healthcare - hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. 

As part of the first shift “from hospital to community”, the government wants to deliver plans for new neighbourhood health centres, which will be closer to homes and communities. Patients will be able to see family doctors, district nurses, care workers, physiotherapists, health visitors, or mental health specialists, all under the same roof. 

In transforming the NHS from analogue to digital, the government will create a more modern NHS by bringing together a single patient record, summarising patient health information, test results, and letters in one place, through the NHS App. It will put patients in control of their own medical history, meaning they don't have to repeat it at every appointment, and that staff have the full picture of patients' health. New laws are set to be introduced to make NHS patient health records available across all NHS trusts, GP surgeries and ambulance services in England – speeding up patient care, reducing repeat medical tests, and minimising medication errors. 

Systems will be able to share data more easily, saving NHS staff an estimated 140,000 hours of NHS staffs' time every year, because staff will have quicker access to patient data, saving time that can then be spent face-to-face with patients who need it most and potentially saving lives.

By moving from sickness to prevention, government wants to shorten the amount of time people spend in-ill health and prevent illnesses before they happen. As an example, the 10 Year Health Plan will explore the opportunities smart watches and other wearable tech may offer patients with diabetes or high blood pressure, so they can monitor their own health from the comfort of their own home. 

The launch of the new online platform will take place at a health centre in East London, where the Secretary of State will meet with the Chief Executive of the London Ambulance Service before the first engagement event involving NHS staff from across the healthcare system as a start to the national conversation. 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:  

“My mum worked for the NHS, my sister worked for the NHS and my wife still works for the NHS – so I know firsthand how difficult it has been for staff, and for patients battling against a broken system for over a decade. But it's time to roll up our sleeves and fix it.  

“We have a clear plan to fix the health service, but it's only right that we hear from the people who rely on the NHS every day to have their say and shape our plan as we deliver it. Together we can build a healthcare system that puts patients first and delivers the care that everyone deserves.

“We have a huge opportunity to put the NHS back on its feet. So, let's be the generation that took the NHS from the worst crisis in its history and made it fit for the future.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:    

“When I was diagnosed with kidney cancer, the NHS saved my life, as it has for so many people across our country. We all owe the NHS a debt of gratitude for a moment in our lives when it was there for us, when we needed it. Now we have a chance to repay that debt.

“Today the NHS is going through the worst crisis in its history. But while the NHS is broken, it's not beaten. Together, we can fix it.  

“Whether you use the NHS or work in it, you see first-hand what's great, but also what isn't working. We need your ideas to help turn the NHS around.  

“In order to save the things we love about the NHS, we need to change it. Our 10 Year Health Plan will transform the NHS to make it fit for the future, and it will have patients' and staff's fingerprints all over it.   

“I urge everyone to go to Change.NHS.uk today and help us build a health service fit for the future.”  

Investment alone won't be enough to tackle the problems facing the NHS, why is why it must go hand in hand with fundamental reform.

The three big shifts will be our key principles for reform and will revolutionise the way people manage their health and access care. Our reforms will also shift the NHS away from late diagnosis and treatment to a model where more services are delivered in local communities and illnesses are prevented in the first place.

It is vital the government hears from patients, experts and the NHS workforce to make sure we get this right and preserve the things people value about the health service.

NHS England Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard said:

“NHS staff are facing an unprecedented number of challenges - with record demand for care, alongside growing pressures from an ageing population, rising levels of multiple long-term illnesses and patients with more complex needs. And they are often hampered by working in crumbling buildings with outdated tech, meaning too many patients are waiting too long for care they need.

“So, it is vital the health service innovates and adapts – as it has always done throughout its 76-year history – to design and deliver an NHS fit for the future. 

“The 10 Year Health Plan is a chance to make the best practice, normal practice across the country. So, we will be carrying out the largest ever staff engagement exercise in NHS history and leaving no stone unturned as we seek to harness frontline views, alongside those of patients and the public, to ensure this happens.  

“It is your experiences – good, bad, and sometimes frustrating – that we need to help shape this once in a generation opportunity, so please get involved!” 

Bold ambitions for the NHS can only be achieved by listening to the expertise and knowledge of its 1.54 million strong workforce. Their understanding of what's holding them back from performing at their best will help us bring down waiting times and provide the world class care the public deserve.    

The government has already taken immediate action to address challenges in the health service and deliver an NHS fit for the future. Whether that's agreeing a deal with resident doctors within weeks, securing a funding increase for GP practices to manage rising pressures or hiring an extra 1,000 GPs into the NHS by the end of this year, there are both short- and long-term reforms working hand in hand. 

Lord Ara Darzi said: 

“As my recent Investigation found, the NHS is in need of urgent and fundamental reform. The 10 Year Health Plan comes at a crucial moment—and by describing the ultimate destination for the health service, it will help improve decision-making in the here and now.”

The start of this national conversation on the future of the NHS follows on from Lord Darzi's independent report into the health service that diagnosed its condition. Lord Darzi concluded the NHS is in a ‘critical condition' with surging waiting lists and a deterioration in the nation's underlying health, identifying serious and widespread problems for people accessing services. 

The launch of the engagement exercise for the 10 Year Health Plan will build on these findings and is the next step to delivering the Government's mission to fix the NHS and deliver a health service fit for the future.

ENDS

Rachel Power Chief Executive, The Patients Association said:   

“We warmly welcome this ambitious initiative to engage with patients, staff, and the public on the future of our NHS. For far too long, many patients have felt their voices weren't fully heard in shaping health services. This national conversation, initiated by the government, marks a significant step towards genuine patient partnership and puts patients at the heart of the NHS's evolution.  

“Through our work as an independent charity, we speak directly with thousands of patients living with various health conditions each year. This gives us valuable insights into diverse experiences across the health and care system, from widely shared patient needs to unique challenges faced by underrepresented groups. We're eager to contribute these wide-ranging perspectives to help shape a health service that truly meets the needs of everyone it serves." 

Louise Ansari, Chief Executive of Healthwatch England said: 

 "We know people appreciate the hard work of NHS staff, but they are all too aware that the NHS faces many challenges that need fixing. The 10-year plan provides the opportunity to do this. 

"We urge everyone to have their say on how the NHS should deliver better care to people where and when it is needed, more support to help people stay well, and a culture of listening to and acting on the views of patients.  

"All too often, people face unequal access to care, with disabled people and those on lower incomes being particularly at risk. The NHS belongs to us all, so you must speak up and help create a health service that is fit for the future – equal and inclusive for everyone.” 

Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair of the Local Government Association said:
  
 "The NHS rightly holds a place in our nation's heart, being there for us at moments of great joy, deep sadness, and everything in between. It is also one of local government's most important partners. What each side does can impact the other. 

“Every one of us is unique, complex and carries different ambitions. The NHS plays a key role in helping us to live the life we want to lead, but it cannot do it alone. Through social care and wider wellbeing activity, councils play an essential role in supporting people to do what matters most to them and live a meaningful life.  This exercise is therefore crucial for the future of health, social care and wellbeing.”

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK said:  

“We are delighted to see this first, essential part of developing the 10-year plan getting going. With our rapidly ageing population it's important that the plan takes fully into account the needs of tomorrow's older people as well as today's and helps all of us to age confidently and well. We encourage everyone to get involved and have their say - it's almost certainly a once in a generation opportunity to do so.” 

The Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery said: 

“This will be a landmark moment for the NHS. Trust leaders are ready and willing to work with the government to tackle the many challenges the NHS currently faces to create a ‘next generation' NHS fit for the future.” 

Jacob Lant, Chief Executive of National Voices said: 

“We are encouraged by the ambitious approach the Government is taking to involve patients and organisations from across the sector in shaping the 10 Year Plan. We are excited to play our part in this, and will be working with our members to ensure that people from marginalised and minoritised communities are able to shape the discussions and big decisions ahead. 

“Closing the gap in healthy life expectancy is a shared ambition of this Government and the National Voices coalition, and we will work tirelessly to ensure no groups are left behind.”

Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation said:  

“Following more than a decade of underinvestment and in the face of some serious challenges we are reaching a turning point for the NHS. The 10-year plan will set the service on a path towards being put on sustainable footing so that it can best serve our population. No one working in the NHS will argue that it works perfectly - its staff have been crying out for change and we hope the ten-year plan will deliver for them and their communities, including by listening to the reality of their experiences and by incorporating the many examples of best practice and innovation that are taking place across the country.” 

Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK said:  

"We are excited to see this first engagement phase of the NHS 10 Year Plan, a process which will include unpaid carers and ask for their views about the kind of health service they want to see in the future.  

"We wholeheartedly agree with the recommendations from the Darzi review which suggested there should be a "fresh approach to supporting unpaid carers". Unpaid carers are critical to the NHS and the NHS is a critical service for them, but it's not always set up to help carers and can make their lives harder.   

“England's 4.7 million unpaid carers provide the bulk of support for older, ill and disabled relatives, helping millions to live in local communities where they want to be. Their support is valued at £152 billion, the equivalent of a second NHS, but they also face greater health inequalities and poorer health outcomes.  

“With one in three NHS staff also juggling work and care, there's a real opportunity to create a service which truly supports families who provide unpaid care. We see this as a win:win situation - helping families and building an NHS which is fit for the future; delivering better outcomes for everyone." 

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

“We welcome the UK Government's move to start a public conversation about the future of the NHS in England. Despite the best efforts of its hard-working staff, the NHS is under extreme pressure. This exercise is another important step in the process towards developing a 10-Year-Plan that should ensure all cancer patients across the UK get the care they deserve.”