On July 3, 2025, the UK Government unveiled its ambitious 10-year health plan, aiming to revolutionize the National Health Service (NHS) by shifting care closer to home, embracing digital innovation, and prioritizing prevention over treatment. This comprehensive strategy promises to reshape how millions of patients access healthcare, with the rollout of Neighbourhood Health Centres and a vastly expanded role for the NHS app at its core.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer introduced the plan as a response to Lord Darzi’s 2024 review, which painted the NHS as being in a “critical” and “deteriorating” state. The plan’s three key shifts — moving from analogue to digital, from hospital to community, and from sickness to prevention — encapsulate the government’s vision for a modernized health system.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting highlighted the plan’s focus on relocating care from hospitals into community settings. “We expect to open around 40 to 50 new neighbourhood health centres by the end of this parliament and up to 300 over the next decade,” he told MPs. These centres, which will be NHS providers, will be a mix of new builds and refurbished existing properties, with costs ranging from a few million pounds to around £20 million each. Streeting also confirmed that some of these projects would be financed privately but with caution, mindful of past pitfalls associated with private finance initiatives.
The expansion of the NHS app is another cornerstone of the plan. It is set to become the “digital front door” to NHS services, offering patients streamlined access to mental health support, vaccines, health screenings, and self-referral options for talking therapies — all without needing to see a GP first. The government’s digital ambitions extend to deploying a world-first AI early warning system designed to analyze hospital data and identify potential patient safety issues before they escalate.
Addressing health inequalities is a declared priority, with a £2.2 billion fund earmarked to redirect resources such as medicines and equipment to the communities most in need. GP funding will be restructured to better serve working-class and coastal areas, aiming to “end the postcode lottery” that has long plagued access to care. Additionally, the government intends to map the DNA of every newborn to assess risks for hundreds of diseases, marking a shift towards predictive and preventive medicine.
Community Pharmacy England’s Chief Executive Janet Morrison welcomed the plan’s alignment with the sector’s potential but sounded a note of caution. She emphasized the urgent need for a sustainable funding model to prevent financial collapse of local pharmacies, which millions rely on daily. “This plan is not the end of the road; it’s just the beginning,” Morrison remarked, underscoring the importance of stable investment for community pharmacy’s role in the new health landscape.
Reactions from healthcare leaders have been mixed but generally acknowledge the plan’s ambitious scope. Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of The King’s Fund, praised the vision for shifting care from hospitals to communities and expanding digital services but stressed that “delivering the vision” is the true challenge. She warned that simply co-locating health professionals in Neighbourhood Health Centres won’t suffice; genuine integration and capital investment in accessible locations with modern technology are critical. Woolnough also highlighted that without addressing the root causes of poor health and demand for services, the plan risks falling short.
Similarly, Dr Lisa Harrod-Rothwell, CEO of Londonwide Local Medical Committees, welcomed the government’s recognition of the need for change and the central role of general practice. She urged ministers to support GPs with time and resources to provide holistic, relationship-based care and warned against top-down reforms that could undermine existing progress. “GPs know their communities and already deliver holistic care for complex, long-term needs—unlike hospitals,” she said.
Concerns about workforce wellbeing were raised by Dr Rob Hendry of the Medical Protection Society, who welcomed the plan’s proposal for Staff Treatment Hubs offering occupational health services, including mental health support. However, he cautioned that current provisions might not meet the specialist and confidential needs of healthcare workers, many of whom are burnt out and at risk of leaving the profession.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) also expressed optimism. Its Chief Executive, Dr Sam Roberts, highlighted how the plan empowers NICE to accelerate patient access to medicines, reduce regional disparities in health technology availability, and maximize the value of existing treatments. He noted that closer collaboration with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) would help patients receive new therapies 3 to 6 months sooner.
However, some voices remain wary of the plan’s financial and operational feasibility. Dr Jennifer Dixon DBE, Chief Executive of the Health Foundation, welcomed the ambitions but questioned whether the government’s modest funding increase—2.8% real-term growth annually until 2028/29, below historical averages—would suffice to realize such sweeping reforms. She warned that without investment in social care and tackling wider social determinants of health, the plan risks remaining “largely a vision for the NHS, rather than a plan for rebuilding the nation’s health.”
GP representatives expressed particular concern. Dr Katie Bramall, chair of the British Medical Association’s GP committee, stressed the need for detailed, costed investment plans to ensure neighbourhood health centres do not siphon resources away from local GP practices. The Rebuild General Practice campaign criticized the plan as potentially disastrous for general practice, calling for urgent government action to recruit and retain GPs and deliver promised funding boosts.
Digital infrastructure also drew attention. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, supported the emphasis on technology and interoperability but called for at least £2 billion in ringfenced funding to upgrade the NHS’s outdated IT systems, which currently hinder efficient data sharing and patient care.
On the broader healthcare management front, Clive Makombera of RSM UK welcomed the plan’s vision but cautioned against overcommitment and emphasized the need for ringfenced funding for digital transformation and staff development. He also noted the government’s bold decision to phase out £2.2 billion in deficit support funding to underperforming trusts, warning this could hamper efforts to shift care to the community.
The Nuffield Trust’s Thea Stein praised the government’s diagnosis of NHS problems and its focus on patient-centered care but questioned the plan’s reliance on technology and prevention to save costs, noting that historically, technology often increases health spending. She cautioned that unless the government commits adequate resources, waiting times and pressures on staff may remain stubbornly high.
Overall, the 10-year health plan marks a pivotal moment for the NHS, setting out a bold vision to modernize healthcare delivery, tackle inequalities, and harness innovation. Yet, as many experts note, the success of this plan hinges on honest engagement with healthcare professionals, sustained investment, and clear implementation strategies that translate vision into tangible improvements for patients and communities.
As the government prepares to publish a new workforce plan this autumn and begin opening Neighbourhood Health Centres, the coming months will be critical in determining whether this ambitious blueprint can truly transform the NHS and restore public confidence in a service at the heart of British life.
