New Long Term Plan is "just the start"

NHS England leaders say that the Long Term Plan could save up to 500,000 lives over the next ten years by focusing on prevention and early detection.

The plan comes after the Government announced the NHS budget would be increased by £20bn a year by 2023.

The biggest funding increases will be seen in GPs, mental health and community care.

Key priorities within the plan:

• cancer
• mental health
• care for people with two or more chronic medical conditions
• supporting people to age healthily and tackling issues such as dementia
• children’s health
• cardiovascular and respiratory diseases
• learning disability and autism

There will also be a focus on improving the way that people are able to interact with the health service for example, by using digital technologies such as video consultations.

What next?

Local NHS organisations will be working with their local councils to develop and implement their own plans for the next five years.

These strategies will set out how they intend to take the ambitions from the NHS Long Term Plan and turn them into action to improve services and the health and wellbeing of their local communities, with a specific requirement to reduce health inequalities.

Imelda Redmond, National Director of Healthwatch England said:

“Both the Long Term Plan itself, and the increased financial investment being made in the NHS, are very welcome and it’s positive to see so many of the issues raised by Healthwatch up and down the country being addressed.
 

“What’s most important about today’s announcement is the extent to which the NHS has listened to the views and experiences of those who use its services.

“The plan recognises the major challenges people face in getting an appointment with their GP, and in response the NHS is rebalancing resources and bringing in new technology to help fix this.

“It is also clear that health service leaders have heard people’s desire to see mental health given much greater emphasis, particularly for young people.  

“Healthwatch has played its part by bringing over 85,000 people’s experiences of care into the planning process, with the response of NHS leaders showing what difference it makes when people speak up and share their views.

“But the plan itself is just the start. Across the country, communities will now will come together with those running local hospitals and doctors’ surgeries to work out how this national plan is going to work in their area. 

“Over the coming weeks we will be reaching out to every part of the country to give people a say, so if you want to shape what the NHS will look like in 10 years’ time get in touch with your Healthwatch.”