One year into the 10-year plan
In July 2025 the government published the latest 10-year plan for the NHS. It follows on from statements by the then Health Secretary (Wes Streeting) procclaiming that “the NHS is broken”.
The key proposals focused on three themes:
- From hospital to community: the Neighbourhood Health service, designed around you.
- From analogue to digital: power in your hands.
- From sickness to prevention: power to make the healthy choice.
2026: One year later in Oxfordshire
Neighbourhoods: Still a work in progress. (see Neighbourhood health page)
Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire & West Berkshire Integrated Care Board: Gone
Thames Valley Integrated Care Board: started 1st April 2026
Local Government: to be reorganised into 3 new unitary authorities, or not? This will affect how the Integrated Care Teams will operate, or not?
National government: a new Prime Minister, a second Secretary of State for Health.
Some observations:
There have been previous long-term plans – in 2000 and 2014. If you have been around long enough you might notice that some of the authors of previous plans have had a role in writing and implementing the latest version (Sir Ara Darzi and Sir John Oldham to name but two.)
Despite this there is no mention that previous, remarkably similar initiatives did not work out as intended. There is also no implementation plan included in the 170 page document. There is also no new money.
More background information:
All of the health policy think tanks have written a lot about these plans – look at their websites to find their views.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future
https://www.nhsconfed.org/publications/ten-year-health-plan-what-you-need-know
https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/long-reads/ten-year-health-plan-explained
You can download our information leaflet here:
