NHS 10 Year Plan: Fit for the Future
The NHS 10 year plan for England sets out how it intends to transform the NHS for the decade ahead. Originally launched in 2019 and updated through the government’s Change NHS consultation in 2024, the NHS long term plan responds to rising demand, workforce pressures and the opportunities of digital healthcare.
By focusing on prevention, personalisation and integration, the 10 Year Health Plan is designed to ensure the service remains sustainable, effective and equitable for all. It highlights three key shifts:
- from hospital to community care,
- from analogue to digital systems,
- and from treating sickness to prioritising prevention.
These changes sit within a wider agenda of NHS reform in England, where innovation, governance and leadership will be essential to turning strategy into reality.
What the New 10 Year Health Plan Means
In 2024, the government launched Change NHS to gather views from staff, patients and the public. Over 270,000 contributions shaped the new 10 Year Health Plan for England, making it the largest-ever consultation on the NHS.
This latest plan places emphasis on:
- NHS workforce strategy: recruiting, retaining and supporting staff.
- Reducing health inequalities: tackling gaps in access and outcomes.
- Healthcare innovation in the UK: investing in genomics, AI and new digital tools.
- NHS digital transformation: enabling people to manage their care online and reducing administrative burden on staff.
- NHS care quality commission reform: ensuring governance frameworks support consistently high standards of care.
This dual focus on innovation and workforce resilience reflects the challenges the NHS faces and highlights why leadership and governance skills are more critical than ever. These ambitions cannot succeed without the people who lead and deliver care every day.
How Leadership and Governance are Key to Success
The ambition of the NHS 10 Year Plan cannot be realised without strong, compassionate and strategic leadership. As the NHS shifts more care into communities, embraces AI and genomics, and commits to reducing inequalities, leaders will need to guide teams through rapid change while maintaining safe, high-quality care.
Investing in a team’s professional development is important. Building capability at every level of the health system is fundamental to the success of the plan. From middle managers to senior executives, the need for future-focused healthcare leaders has never been greater.
FAQ: The NHS Ten Year Plan
What is the NHS 10 Year Plan?
The NHS Long Term Plan, refreshed in 2024 as the Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan, is a roadmap for the next decade of healthcare in England. It focuses on prevention, personalisation, digital innovation, and leadership to keep the NHS sustainable.
How will the 10 Year Health Plan improve healthcare?
It will shift care from hospitals into communities, move from analogue to digital systems, and focus on preventing illness rather than only treating it. It also invests in workforce, digital tools and healthcare innovation such as AI and genomics.
What does the 10 Year Health Plan mean for staff?
The plan prioritises recruitment, retention and development of staff through a comprehensive NHS workforce strategy, alongside tackling poor working conditions and inefficiencies.
How can healthcare leaders prepare for the 10 Year Health Plan?
Strong governance, leadership and strategic planning are essential. Investing in professional development programmes such as leadership training or CQC-focused governance courses helps staff and organisations align with the plan’s priorities.
For healthcare professionals, preparing now is key. Training and professional development will be vital to turn ambition into reality
Professional Development to Support the 10 Year Health Plan
Salford Professional Development offers programmes designed to strengthen leadership, governance and strategy in healthcare: all aligned to the priorities of the 10 Year Health Plan.
Healthcare Leadership Programme
A two-day course supporting the progression from manager to leader. With a focus on resilience, behavioural change and compassionate leadership, it aligns with the NHS’s call for a stronger workforce strategy and leadership pipeline.
Clinical Governance in Healthcare Programme
Designed to improve awareness and application of the 7 pillars of clinical governance, this programme supports staff to uphold quality and safety. Vital to achieving the aims of the NHS care quality commission reform agenda.
Clinical Governance for Senior Leaders
A three-day course helping directors and senior managers strengthen governance systems in complex environments. With CQC reform central to the 10 Year Health Plan, this programme ensures leaders can deliver regulatory outcomes and embed learning cultures.
Healthcare Strategic Leadership Programme (CMI Level 7 Accredited)
A three-day accredited programme that develops strategic leaders ready to drive transformation. It covers strategy, innovation, and resilience, making it directly relevant to themes in the NHS 10 Year Plan such as digital transformation, healthcare innovation in the UK and reducing inequalities.
The NHS 10 Year Health Plan for England sets an ambitious course for reform. From the hospital-to-community shift to digital transformation, it represents one of the most significant periods of change in NHS history.
For healthcare professionals, this is both a challenge and an opportunity. By strengthening leadership, governance and strategic skills, individuals and organisations can not only meet the expectations of the 10 Year Health Plan but actively shape the future of care in England.
