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Scientists comment on the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan.
Richard Torbett, Chief Executive of the ABPI, said:
“Parts of the NHS 10 Year Plan, such as boosting the NHS’s offer on genomic medicine, and accelerating clinical trials, are exactly right and very welcome. This will transform patients’ lives and take better advantage of the precision medicines and benefits of research that our sector can offer.
“However, the successful implementation of the NHS 10-Year Plan will require a fundamental shift in how the UK approaches innovative medicines and vaccines. For too long, the UK has viewed innovation as a cost to be avoided, rather than an investment that can improve health outcomes and system productivity.
“The UK must reverse decades of disinvestment in innovative medicines that is increasingly preventing NHS patients from accessing medicines that are available in other countries.”
“The proposal for a new national formulary that seeks to sequence products raises a number of questions and concerns. Any measure that reduces the many layers of bureaucracy and inefficiencies in the system and speeds equitable adoption of medicines is welcome. However, moves that push prescribers into adhering to set treatment rankings, alongside tasking NICE with identifying innovations that can be retired, risks restricting patient and clinician choice.
“We urge the government to move carefully and collaborate with industry, clinicians and patient organisations to work through potential unintended consequences and ensure patients will not be left without the medicines they need.
“At a time when the government has said it wants to fix the challenging UK commercial environment for medicines, it should avoid adding any additional barriers which could make the UK a less attractive place to launch new innovations.”
Professor Andrew Morris CBE PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said:
“The 10-Year Health Plan sets out a bold and necessary vision for transforming the NHS. The scale of the ambition is essential – the NHS faces fundamental challenges that require reform, and the use of advanced technology and data at scale. We are encouraged to see research, innovation and prevention feature so prominently throughout the plan, reflecting priorities the Academy has long championed. The commitment to make research ‘business-as-usual’ rather than a ‘nice to have’ represents an important shift in approach, as does the emphasis on putting patients at the centre of both their care and the research that improves it.
“The plan’s focus on prevention – and the recognition that it begins with children and young people – aligns strongly with our evidence that the early years provide a crucial window to improve lifelong health outcomes and deliver significant economic returns. The positive commitment to reverse the decline in clinical academic roles recognises that research must be embedded across all parts of the healthcare workforce to drive the continuous improvement needed for this transformation.
“However, the scale of transformation requires more than aspiration – it demands clear accountability mechanisms, robust implementation plans and crucially cross-government coordination. While we see encouraging commitments to embed research throughout the NHS, we would like to see more detail on how the health service will be further supported in this vital mandate, particularly how Integrated Care Boards will be equipped and resourced to fulfil their research responsibilities during this period of significant change.
“The emphasis on patient voice and involvement in research is essential. The NHS of the future must be shaped and developed with the patients it exists to support through sustained and meaningful partnership, not one-off interactions. The experiences of patients and those who care for them – particularly the most vulnerable and excluded members of society – are fundamental to delivering care and innovation that is not only clinically effective but truly inclusive for all.
“This plan sets the right direction for creating an NHS fit for the future. Success will depend on turning these bold ambitions into practical action that truly puts research and patient partnership at the heart of healthcare delivery.”
Beth Thompson, Executive Director Policy & Partnerships at Wellcome, said:
“It’s brilliant to see the government recognise that science and technology will be key to reinventing the NHS, echoing Wellcome’s vision as highlighted in our ‘From Research to Reality’ report. The plans to bolster clinical careers and enhance NHS data use are exciting steps in the right direction.
“The commitments on mental health in this plan are also very good news. By expanding access to digital mental health solutions, carefully embracing the promise of AI, and better understanding how people’s genetic makeup affects their response to medication, we can expand reach and better target effective treatments to the millions of people experiencing mental health problems in the UK.
“However, we are concerned the bold aspirations of the Plan are not matched by the squeezed health research budget as outlined in the recent spending review. The NHS of the future is within reach, and the ambition is there. Decisive action is now needed to make it a reality.”
Dr Sam Roberts, Chief Executive of NICE, said:
“I am delighted to welcome the publication of the NHS 10 Year plan today which marks a major moment for the healthcare system and is a clear endorsement of NICE’s role in delivering faster, and fairer access to the best innovations.
“The plan gives NICE the power to get medicines to patients faster, reduces the postcode lottery for high impact health technology, and maximises the value for money of existing innovations used in the NHS.
“After years of unprecedented pressure on the health service, the plan charts a clear path from reactive care to prevention, from hospital to community, and from underused innovation to value-driven adoption.
“At NICE, we’re ready to deliver – with a broader remit, clearer funding routes, and greater alignment with partners across the system. I’m particularly encouraged by how the plan strengthens NICE’s role in helping patients access the best care faster, while ensuring value for the taxpayer.
“In particular, we welcome these three key areas:
We welcome the plan’s commitment to treat some high impact digital tools, diagnostics, and medical devices on a level funding with medicines. This will accelerate the rollout of proven innovations – from AI-driven triage tools to digital behaviour therapies for young people.
The initial focus will be on technologies that meet the NHS’s most pressing needs, such as digital mental health therapies for those on long waiting lists. We expect the changes will be in place by April 2026.
We will work more closely with the MHRA to speed up evaluations and ensure patients get safe, effective treatments 3-6 months sooner. Through new enhanced collaboration we will streamline and simplify the approval journey through joint scientific advice and closely aligned timelines between teams across both organisations. This will help increase coordination and reduce duplication, ensuring MHRA and NICE decisions happen as close together as possible.
The plan strengthens NICE’s role in driving better value by continually re-evaluating clinical pathways.
“This will mean:
“This new evaluation process will also support plans for a ‘single national formulary’ that will replace local lists for medicines. This will help address postcode lotteries and ensure all patients benefit from the most effective interventions, regardless of where they live.
Turning ambition into action:
“The 10 Year Health Plan marks a significant step forward in building an NHS that is faster, fairer and fit for the future.
At NICE, we’re using our expanded remit to accelerate access, reduce variation, and make smarter use of innovation across the system.
We look forward to working with our partners to turn this shared ambition into meaningful, lasting change.”
Nicola Perrin, Chief Executive of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), said:
“The 10 Year Health Plan sets out an ambitious vision for the NHS. It recognises that life sciences and innovation must be at the heart of transformation. There is also a welcome focus on making research a core part of everyday activity for the NHS workforce, and increasing research capacity in community settings. However, success will depend on effective implementation and clear deliverables.
“Report after report has set out the potential for the NHS to be a global leader in clinical research – now is the time for action. Medical research charities have an unparalleled understanding of their disease areas and patient communities. They must be key partners as this blueprint is brought to life.”
Colette Marshall, Chief Executive at Diabetes UK said:
“The 10-Year Health Plan for England could chart a new course in the Government’s ambition to improve the nation’s health. One in five people are now living with diabetes or prediabetes, so there is an urgent need to address the diabetes crisis – and we look forward to working with the Government and NHS to deliver on their commitments.
“People with diabetes account for almost a third of cardiovascular deaths in England, so the CVD service framework could be a powerful tool to reduce the devastating impact of diabetes complications. We welcome the pledge to partner with charities to support people newly diagnosed with a health condition, and will share our expertise to ensure people with all types of diabetes can benefit. The Government has also set an ambitious goal to turn the tide on obesity, so it is vital that legislation is implemented, and treatments are rolled out at pace, to reduce the number of people developing type 2 diabetes.
“Diabetes is serious, and it can be a gateway to further life-altering, long-term conditions. Fully realised, the 10-Year Health Plan could transform diabetes care and drastically improve the health of our communities.”
Danielle Hamm, Director of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, said:
“The plan sets out a vision for an NHS that aims to make the service fit for the future and, crucially, turn the tide on widening inequalities in access to care and health outcomes.
“Government is placing science and technology at the core of transforming treatment, prevention, and patient experience. However, delivering on this ambition will require a shift in how we approach innovation—placing ethical thinking at the heart of delivery, from the design of a new genomic health service to the use of AI and NHS patient data.
“Recent history has shown that failing to do so can lead to costly mistakes and failure to secure public support. Embedding ethical approaches to policymaking as the NHS develops over the next decade will be vital to ensure innovation tangibly improves people’s lives and the that the benefits reach everyone.”
Professor Becky Shipley OBE FREng, Chair of Future of Neighbourhood Health Services Working Group, Professor of Healthcare Engineering at UCL and Chief Research Officer as UCLPartners, said:
“We welcome the long-awaited 10 Year Health Plan which sets out transformational shifts in how health and care services are planned, delivered and accessed and aims to future proof the NHS for the decade ahead.”
“As the National Academy of engineering and technology, we have long called for an engineering systems approach for the transformation of our health and care system that looks beyond the boundaries of the NHS. The focus on a neighbourhood health service offers a real opportunity for join up across health and care, as well as voluntary sectors and wider infrastructure. We’re excited to help achieve this goal with our project focused on how systems design and technology can meaningfully contribute to the delivery of neighbourhood health services for ageing coastal communities.”
“From our experience supporting health spinouts and start-ups, we know engaging with the NHS can be a challenge. The new ‘innovator passport’ is a welcome introduction. It is right that where we have assurances a new technology has been robustly assessed by one NHS organisation, it can be easily rolled out to others. This approach will open doors for innovation, reduce barriers to market, and, most importantly, means patients will get effective treatments and support quicker.”
“A vision which embraces innovation and sets out to make the NHS a global leader in medical technology is welcomed by the Academy. However, as we move from analogue to digital, care must be taken to understand and identify the challenges on the ground. We must ensure that technologies adopted are the right solutions: they need to be developed collaboratively, with appropriate safeguards, and supported by the necessary infrastructure and training.”
Dr John Ford, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Health Equity at Queen Mary University of London, said:
“There’s much to welcome in the health plan—shifting care closer to patients’ homes, focusing on prevention, tackling health inequalities, and embracing digital innovation. Yet, while it sets out a compelling vision, it is hugely aspirational and broad-ranging and it touches almost every aspect of the NHS. Realising these ambitions will require fundamental changes to how health and care systems operate. However, with NHS England being dismantled, Integrated Care Boards facing cuts, chronic underfunding of local government, and ongoing NHS workforce disputes, the real challenge will lie in implementation.”
Specifically on health inequalities, he said it could make a “real difference”, but there were risks that it could also “unintentionally widen the postcode lottery.
“Although the plan doesn’t include a dedicated section on health inequalities, the ambition to equalise health outcomes is a consistent theme. At its best, the vision of integrated neighbourhood-based health, genuinely co-designed with underserved communities and backed by fairer funding formulas alongside national action on smoking and obesity, could make a real difference in narrowing inequalities. However, there’s also a risk that greater local decision-making autonomy—combined with performance incentives – and pressure to adopt new technologies—could unintentionally widen the postcode lottery, especially if money is tight. Areas already better resourced and more able to embrace change, which tend to be the wealthier parts of the country, may benefit more.”
Prof Siddharthan Chandran, Director the UK Dementia Research Institute, said:
“This bold and visionary 10-year plan that embraces the digital-data revolution will position the UK to lead again in health innovation.
“We particularly welcome the move toward a neighbourhood health service. We know from our research and our community of people with lived experience of dementia that this is what they wish to see. At the UK Dementia Research Institute, our researchers are working with the NHS to integrate ‘at home’ pioneering digital and AI tools and technology to allow people with dementia to live safely, well and in their own homes for longer with reduced need for hospitalisation.
“As the UK’s national research institute for dementia and related neurodegenerative conditions, we are leading transformative research that will lay the ground for individualised prediction, prevention and brain protection to ensure healthy brain ageing for all.”
Professor Steve Turner, RCPCH President, said:
“The 10-Year Health Plan makes a bold and welcome commitment to transforming the NHS into a more accessible, community-focused service, and offers a vital opportunity to reimagine how we deliver care to children and families. I’m really pleased to see the Plan emphasise prevention, early intervention, and integrated care. Embedding paediatric expertise within neighbourhood health teams, alongside mental health professionals, health visitors, and community workers, could be transformative for children – especially those with complex or long-term conditions.
“Fundamentally, the success of this plan will also depend on sustained investment in the paediatric workforce. Children’s needs are unique, and these new models of care must be underpinned by adequate staffing, training, and support for professionals working in community settings, alongside equitable funding between children’s and adult’s services.
“We must jointly seize the opportunity to transform child health, and as such RCPCH now look forward to working closely with government and NHS leaders to deliver a robust implementation plan for child health and realise the government’s ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever.”
*DHSC Press Release: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-launches-new-era-for-nhs-with-easier-care-in-neighbourhoods
Declared interests
The nature of this story means everyone quoted above could be perceived to have a stake in it. As such, our policy is not to ask for interests to be declared – instead, they are implicit in each person’s affiliation.