Response to the Prime Minister’s comments on Marr about the NHS ten-year plan

The Prime Minister is all too aware that the Government needs to ensure the NHS ten-year plan lays the right foundations for a more sustainable health service. This morning’s interview with Marr was more about shaping the narrative that will determine public perception of the plan’s key tenets. It also reflects the Prime Minister’s personal concern to take steps to address mental health. Senior Ministers confirmed today, for example, more detail will be included in the ten-year plan about where the £20.5 billion additional funding will be allocated, plans for a greater focus on prevention through supporting personal responsibility and plans to expand the use of personal budgets. These measures are intended to address the long-term challenges facing the NHS. Recruitment and retention challenges across the health and care sector remain – the plan includes staffing matters, but we do not know whether tomorrow’s plan will contain actionable measures or serve as a mere holding statement until the comprehensive spending review is concluded. There are also questions about the detail covered in the accompanying implementation plan that will guide operational performance and how it will complement measures included in the forthcoming adult social care Green Paper. Our ageing population means that health and care provision can no longer be viewed in isolation. A ‘link’ between health and social care is not good enough – the Government has repeatedly promised fully fledged integration. I am not convinced that the ten-year plan will have all the answers – it will only confirm the vision underpinning what action will be taken by NHS England. There will be more to say on the detail once the plan is published tomorrow, but it is important that the ten-year plan delivers a long-term strategy to tackle health inequalities, continue advancements in patient care and build on the work of medical professionals who have played a pivotal role in establishing the NHS as one of the most respected health services in the world. Greg Allen, Chief Executive, Future Care Capital