In July 2025, the Labour government unveiled its long-awaited 10-year plan for the National Health Service (NHS), aiming to transform the service into a more preventative, community-based, and digitally advanced system. Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, emphasised a shift from a hospital-centric model to a neighbourhood health service, with a strong focus on prevention and early intervention.

The plan outlines three primary shifts: from sickness to prevention, from hospitals to communities, and from analogue to digital. However, experts and stakeholders have raised concerns about the plan’s feasibility and the challenges it faces in achieving its ambitious goals. After over a decade of Tory top-down reorganisations, austerity and poor performance at least the health service has a direction for the next decade built on transformation.

Preventative Healthcare or Driving the Black Market?

The plan proposes a significant emphasis on preventive healthcare, including expanded vaccination programs, early screening, and innovative weight loss services available in pharmacies. Additionally, there is a commitment to creating a smoke-free generation by introducing a generational ban, making it illegal for anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 from ever legally buying tobacco products.

These initiatives aim to reduce the incidence of chronic diseases and alleviate pressure on NHS services. However, the real challenge lies in enforcement. There is a significant risk that instead of eliminating smoking, the policy could fuel a new black market—placing additional strain on public resources through increased policing demands. This is compounded by existing concerns over the unregulated substances found in illegal vapes and cigarettes, which are already having a measurable impact on public health.

Communities and Digital Innovation

The Labour government envisions a shift from hospital-based treatment to community and neighbourhood health services. This includes the establishment of around 200 neighbourhood health centres across the country, integrating services such as general practice, mental health support, and social care. The intention is for services to be closer to the public and to reduce pressure on main hospitals which have been stretched in recent years. The goal is to provide more accessible and holistic care closer to patients’ homes. Of course, while this approach to healthcare is broadly supported it should be noted that staffing challenges and rising costs can place a burden on the delivery of successful community health services.

Many services in the NHS have not become digitalised. The NHS plan outlines a move from analogue to digital by expanding the use of technology in healthcare delivery. This includes the development of a single health record accessible through the NHS app, the introduction of AI-powered tools to assist clinicians, and the expansion of virtual consultations. The aim is to improve efficiency and patient experience through digital innovation. This should also support savings. However, given the limited success of government digital infrastructure in recent years it remains to be seen whether the digital transformation of the NHS can be achieved. Ultimately, it will come down to whether patients achieve better results.

Supporting the Workforce and Reforming Leadership

Recognising the critical role that NHS staff play in the delivery of healthcare, the plan proposes measures to address workforce shortages and improve staff well-being. In recent years staff retention and staff morale has been a huge challenge due to Tory re-organisations and lack of support. This includes increasing training places for nurses and clinicians, reducing reliance on agency staff, and introducing new staff standards focusing on nutrition, safety, and flexible working.

Additionally, Staff Treatment Hubs will be established to provide occupational health services for NHS personnel. This is a much-valued addition as the pressures and stress placed on NHS staff is tremendous.

While the plan outlines ambitious goals its success hinges on effective implementation. The Institute for Government highlights concern about the potential disruption caused by structural changes within NHS leadership, including the planned merger of NHS England with the Department of Health and Social Care. Such reorganisations could divert attention and resources away from frontline services.

The move is broadly popular with the public, who are keen to see a reduction in the number of quangos and a reallocation of resources toward frontline services. It also strengthens Labour’s position against Reform, whose brand of populist politics may be effectively countered by this pragmatic, service-focused approach.

The Royal College of Nursing has expressed scepticism about the feasibility of the plan, citing chronic understaffing and overwork among NHS staff. Without significant investment in recruitment and retention, the proposed community health centres and expanded services may struggle to operate effectively. This will be the challenge the government has to meet.

Funding the Future: Economic and Political Realities

The financial implications of the plan are substantial. The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that meeting the workforce and infrastructure demands of the plan would require real term increases in NHS spending of 3.6% annually. Given current economic constraints, securing such funding may necessitate difficult trade-offs, including potential tax increases or cuts to other public services. The government’s inability to pass through essential savings on welfare doesn’t signal that it will be able at this stage to make the necessary savings in other departments to enable a shift in spending priorities to the NHS.

Despite these challenges, the plan’s focus on prevention, community care, and digital innovation aligns with evolving healthcare needs. The emphasis on staff well-being and development is also a positive step towards addressing workforce issues and is in keeping with the labour tradition of being on the side of working people.

Labour’s 10-year NHS plan presents a bold vision for the future of healthcare in the UK. While the objectives are commendable, the success of the plan will depend on overcoming significant challenges, including securing adequate funding, addressing workforce shortages, and ensuring effective implementation. Without concerted effort and investment, the plan risks remaining an ambitious proposal rather than a transformative reality. In the short term if Labour manages to increase patient satisfaction with the NHS as part of a longer-term strategy it can go on to win the next general election.