Learning Disability Today
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Government launches national conversation to inform new 10 Year Health Plan

Today, the government announced the beginning of the biggest national conversation about the future of the NHS since its birth. The general public, NHS staff and experts are being invited to share their experiences, views and ideas for fixing the NHS with the responses used to shape the government’s new 10 Year Health Plan, published in Spring 2025.

The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, says the 10 Year Health Plan will help the government to overhaul the current health system with three key shifts: hospital to community, analogue to digital and sickness to prevention.

“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,” he said. “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,” he added.

The needs of people with a learning disability “have to be reflected in plans for the health service”

This new national conversation comes following Lord Darzi’s investigation of the NHS which found the health service to be in ‘critical condition’. Darzi said soaring waiting lists and difficulty accessing services are ultimately leading to a deterioration in the nation’s underlying health.

Among Lord Darzi’s key concerns were the severe variations in care for people with a learning disability and how thousands are currently detained in inpatient mental health settings.

Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive of the learning disability charity Mencap, highlights that people with learning disabilities are dying on average 23 years younger than the general population. He says their health needs must therefore be reflected in any future plans for the NHS.

“Better communication with patients; more specialised training for staff; access to the reasonable adjustments needed for a positive patient experience; an increase in the dwindling number of specialist Learning Disability Nurses; and a reset on outdated and dangerous assumptions about the lives of people with learning disabilities. These are just some of the vital changes we already know will deliver improvement.

“We will continue to work with people with a learning disability to ensure that their views, and those of their families and carers, are heard at every opportunity so that the NHS becomes truly fit for purpose,” he said.

An opportunity to create an NHS which truly supports unpaid carers

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Lord Darzi’s report also recognised the invaluable support provided by the 4.7 million unpaid in England. He recommended a ‘fresh approach to supporting unpaid carers’ which regards unpaid carers both as people with their own needs, but also as a provider of care who should be treated as an equal partner.

Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, has therefore welcomed this first engagement phase of the 10 Year Health Plan in which unpaid carers will be asked for their thoughts and opinions on the future of the NHS.

“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,” she said. “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,” she added.

What are the three key shifts outlined in the new 10 Year Health Plan?

As part of the first shift from hospital to community, the government says it will deliver plans for new neighbourhood health centres where patients can see GPs, 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 says it will create a more modern NHS by bringing together a single patient record, summarising patient health information, test results, and letters in one place, giving staff the full picture of patients’ health. This shift will also allow data to be shared more easily, saving NHS staff an estimated 140,000 hours every year.

Finally, the government says it will shorten the amount of time people spend in-ill health and prevent illnesses before they happen. This includes exploring opportunities for wearable tech (such as smart watches) so that patients 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.

To submit your experiences, view and ideas for the 10 Year Health Plan, click here.

author avatar
Lauren Nicolle
Lauren is a qualified journalist who writes primarily across the health and social care sectors. She is passionate about exposing the injustices faced by people with a learning disability, with a particular focus on equal access to healthcare.

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