The King’s Fund responds to the annual NHS planning guidance

Responding to the NHS priorities announced in the 2025/26 operational planning guidance, Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of The King’s Fund, said: 

‘This guidance to the NHS echoes the government’s strong focus on bringing down long waits for planned hospital care and recovering performance in A&E. If achieved, it will bring improvements for many patients, but emphasis in these areas will inevitably mean that other services get deprioritised. 

‘Tackling the backlog of people needing planned care is important but should not be taken as the sole measure of what a health and care system is meant to deliver. Achieving the target of patients being seen for planned hospital care within 18 weeks will seem like a small and isolated victory in four years’ time if it means the government takes its eye off the ball when it comes to helping the NHS turn into a prevention-focused service that helps keep people well, reducing health inequalities between different parts of the country, and reforming adult social care. 

‘The plan also hopes for ambitious efficiency gains to free up much-needed resources, but few people working in the NHS will think it can be delivered without harming the quality of patient care over the coming year. 

‘In truth, national leaders are in an invidious position. As can be seen in NHS services across the country today, the fragility of the health service is such that a predictable spike in seasonal infections can bring huge swathes of the NHS to a standstill. The population is getting sicker, and the government has chosen to grow NHS funding at broadly average levels, so there are difficult trade-offs to be made. 

‘The plan published today reduces the number of national targets, meaning local NHS leaders will have more flexibility to make decisions about which services should be prioritised in their communities. The health care services that should be prioritised in Blackpool will not necessarily be the same as in Cornwall. However, it means many of the tough decisions about what to deprioritise are also being pushed down to a local level.  

‘The worry is that the spending that often gets pared back is on services to keep people healthy. These are exactly the areas that need most investment to ensure a health service that is sustainable into the future.  

‘Across the recently published plan to cut hospital waiting lists, the forthcoming plan to improve urgent hospital care, and today’s NHS priorities for the year ahead, there is little movement towards the aim of a community-based health service that focuses on preventing illness over treating it. The government’s forthcoming 10-year plan for health will need to show greater radicalism if ministers are to deliver their commitment of an NHS fit for the future.’ 

Notes to editors

1. Siva Anandaciva, Director of Policy, Events and Partnerships at The King’s Fund, wrote a long read about the costs of recovering NHS performance targets: Can The Government Recover NHS Performance Standards? | The King's Fund 

2. Tomorrow, The King’s Fund will publish a blog looking at the planning guidance in more detail – with hot takes from policy experts on a range of the topics covered, such as primary care, mental health and digital.  

For further information, or to request an interview, please contact the Press and Public Affairs team on 020 7307 2585. 

The King's Fund is an independent charity working to improve health and care in England. We help to shape policy and practice through research and analysis; develop individuals, teams and organisations; promote understanding of the health and social care system; and bring people together to learn, share knowledge and debate. Our vision is that the best possible health and care is available to all.