Health and care explained 2026

The government published its 10 Year Health Plan in July 2025 as part of its mission to build a health service fit for the future.

Nearly one year since its publication, it has now published its NHS Modernisation Bill 2026.

The session will explore the changing policy landscape – and what the NHS Modernisation Bill means for ongoing plans to deliver on the three shifts outlined in the 10-year plan.

In March 2025, it was announced that a complete overhaul of the function, purpose and structure of integrated care boards (ICBs) would be accompanied by swingeing cuts to their operating costs of 50%. Alongside this, local government reorganisation was and still is ongoing. What does all of this mean for the delivery of health and care services? This session will explore: 

• the changing roles of ICBs and providers  

• what changes mean for how services are commissioned across hospital and community services locally 

• what is happening with local government reform and devolution 

• the challenges and opportunities presented by these changes.  

It is clear that our social care system is in crisis, with public satisfaction at its lowest recorded levels. The government has called for a review (The Casey Commission) on how to reform the social care system, with first recommendations due out in 2026. But how does the social care system in England currently work, and what are the challenges it is facing? 

In this session we will: 

• explore how the social care system in England is structured, with a particular focus on adult social care services  

• understand the role of social care in 2026  and  how the Casey Commission may influence reform 

• learn  more about who works in the social care system and the social care budget  

• learn about the importance of delivering services that meet the needs of people and families.  

Another key change due to be delivered in 2026 will be the publication of a new long-term workforce plan for the NHS, the first under the current Labour government. This will be vital to delivering changes outlined in the 10 Year Health Plan.  

 The NHS continues to face workforce challenges, with demand for care rising and health needs increasingly complex. But while headlines often focus on overall staff shortages, the reality is more nuanced. This session will explore: 

• who works in the NHS, what their roles are, and how numbers have changed over time 

• what actions are needed to secure the NHS workforce of the future to support the 10 Year Health Plan 

• the role of leaders and collaborative leadership in workforce planning. 

A shift from sickness to prevention will help to tackle some of the wider determinants of health, and there are welcome proposals in the 10 Year Health Plan designed to help government meet their goal of halving the healthy life expectancy gap between the richest and poorest regions. 

 But do the proposals go far enough, and how can the health system actually shift to a preventive model?  

 This session will explore: 

• what could a shift to prevention mean for people and those working in health and care 

• what is missing from the plans for the shift  

• what potential vehicles for change are yet to come that will help make the shift a reality  

• can this be achieved without significant workforce changes? 

The 10 Year Health Plan’s vision for shifting care from hospitals to the community is a longstanding policy ambition, aiming to provide more services in the communities where people live.  

 The shift involves rethinking how care is best delivered locally, through services such as general practice, pharmacies, community-based teams and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations. How can this be achieved?  In this session we will explore: 

• what delivering care closer to home really looks like for both patients and staff 

• the previous policies have come before this, and how this will be different  

• the different terminology surrounding the shift, including ‘neighbourhood health’ and what this means  

• how changes are already being seen ‘on the ground’.  

The third shift outlined in the plan is moving from analogue to digital, with digital technologies having huge potential to change how health and care organisations are structured and how they work.  

 From the NHS app, to digital transformation and developments in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in health and social care, what challenges and opportunities does moving to a more digital health and care system pose? 

 In this session we will explore:  

• what changes due to digital advancements are already being introduced 

• how staff and patients are going to be supported to use advancing technology 

• the risks that come from a focus on digital only, such as widening inequalities in access to services. 

Make the most of our interactive session to consolidate your learning and ask our expert speakers questions you may not have had the opportunity to raise or would like more clarity on.