Our health and care system is in crisis and at risk of becoming financially and operationally unsustainable. The King’s Fund supports the need for transformational shifts in how health and care services are planned, delivered and accessed.
The government has a mission to improve health, and as part of that is working to produce a 10 Year Health Plan for health in order to reform the health system, structured around three shifts: from a service treating sickness to one focused on preventing illness occurring in the first place; from delivering care in hospitals to delivering care closer to home, in communities and in primary care; and digital transformation of service delivery.
Here we explore how to make those shifts happen.
Implementing the 10 Year Health Plan
-
The 10 Year Health Plan: our recommendations
In this long read, we set out the key recommendations The King’s Fund is making to the government to support the development of the 10 Year Health Plan and realise these shifts.
-
The 10 Year Health Plan: what do we know about public perceptions of the three shifts?
What do the public think of the 'three shifts' proposed by the government upcoming 10 Year Health Plan? Find out more in this long read, written in collaboration with the team from Ipsos...
-
Implementing a long-term plan for health: what can we learn from international examples?
As the government is working on its 10-year plan for health, we explore international case studies to see how other countries and regions have implemented their plans.
-
Bringing out the best in humans: a worthy goal for the NHS
While the government’s plans for NHS reform are welcome, to be successful reform needs to be led locally not centrally, says Professor Sir Chris Ham
-
Can this government really recover NHS performance standards within a single parliament? And what are the costs of trying?
Siva Anandaciva calls for the government to conduct a full review of performance targets, if it's serious about driving through reforms to the health care service.
-
‘The synergy illusion’ – do all good things go together?
If to govern is to choose, then the government needs to clearly define and prioritise its goals in order to achieve meaningful progress, says Luca Tiratelli.
The case for reform and approach to it
The Darzi review showed that services are stretched to breaking point and that incremental improvement will not do. Radical change is needed.
-
)
The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, delivers first health and care speech since taking office at The King’s Fund annual conference
Read the response from Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of The King's Fund.
-
'Mandate for bold, decisive action' - The King's Fund responds to the Darzi review
Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive at The King's Fund, responds to Lord Darzi's independent review of the NHS.
-
)
The Darzi review of NHS performance signals why radical change is needed
As each month’s performance statistics show, poor performance continues to be an issue for the NHS – with today’s likely to follow the usual trends. But Lord Darzi’s review is an opportu...
-
Five things the ‘biggest ever conversation about the future of the NHS’ needs to succeed
The government and NHS England have launched 'the biggest ever conversation about the future of the NHS'. Dan Wellings considers what it will take for Change NHS to succeed.
From hospital to community services
The biggest improvements to health and care will come from prioritising services outside of hospital. That means greater investment in the primary and community services that support people before they end up needing hospital treatment.
-
What should national policy-makers do to make care closer to home a reality?
As part of its 10 Year Health Plan, the government plans to shift care from hospital to community and integrate neighbourhood health services. This long read examines the policy levers a...
-
)
Improving access to out-of-hospital care
This briefing focuses on how to improve access to out-of-hospital care, including GPs, social care, community services and community mental health services.
-
)
Integrated care summit 2025
Join our flagship event on integrated care — connect with 100+ health leaders to explore prevention, digital transformation, workforce solutions, and closer-to-home care.
-
)
Community-led approaches to health and wellbeing
Explore how to make communities true partners in improving health outcomes and how changes like neighbourhood health and devolution open new opportunities for local leadership.
-
Place-based partnerships: challenges and opportunities
Place-based partnerships in integrated care systems aim to tackle health inequalities and improve care. Our report explores the key factors for success, including accountability, collabo...
-
The government wants a ‘neighbourhood health service’. The first step is to agree what that means.
Does a neighbourhood health service mean different things to different people? Chris Naylor argues that there needs to be a common understanding of what the goal is.
From treating sickness to preventing it
We are facing a public health emergency and we cannot treat our way out of it. If we want to reduce demand, improve health outcomes, and create a sustainable future for the NHS, we need a system-wide shift to prevention. But how do you lead that shift when budgets are tight, demand is rising, and the system itself isn’t wired for prevention?
-
Tackling health inequalities: seven priorities for the NHS
Drawing on The King’s Fund’s five-year programme of work on health inequalities, this long read outlines what we think the anticipated 10-year health plan should focus on to help the NHS...
-
)
Time for bold action – making the shift to prevention
Join leaders from across the health and care sector and beyond at our in-person event, where we’ll explore the bold, system-wide action needed to shift the focus from treating illness to...
-
What are health inequalities?
This explainer provides an overview of how health inequalities are experienced in England’s population.
-
Ten actions the government can take to improve children’s health
Children in the UK experience some of the worst health outcomes in Europe. What steps should the government take to address this?
From analogue to digital
The shift from analogue to digital needs not just better technology and data infrastructure but also evidence on how workforce, service users, suppliers and regulators affect successful implementation.
-
)
Digital health and care conference
Technology plays an increasingly important role in our health and care system. Our annual event considers what is needed to achieve the 10-year vision for a digitally enabled and transfo...
-
More than just hype: how emerging AI use is assisting health and social care
Discover how artificial intelligence is currently being developed, tested and used within health and care.
-
Supporting digital inclusion in health care
We are undertaking a research project that aims to improve knowledge of the unique ways technology can exclude but also include people and communities.
-
)
NHS and life sciences: collaborating to shape the future
At this event in September, find out more about the opportunities for the NHS to collaborate with the life sciences industry.
-
Lost in the system: the need for better admin
2 out of 3 people say they've had a problem with NHS admin in the past year. We explore the impact these experiences is having on public perceptions of the NHS and what could be done to ...
-
What could the shift from hospital to community mean for research and innovation in the NHS?
When it comes to research and innovation, the NHS has much to be proud of. But what would it look like to be world-leading in driving R&I across community settings, asks Anna Charles.
-
Adapt to thrive in digital health and care – community of interest
Explore how to adapt and thrive in the developing digital health and care system by joining our new community of interest, with an online platform and monthly online sessions.
Making the 10 Year Health Plan a reality
Join us at our event in September to explore the choices and actions needed to transform the health service.
Comments