‘I would like to see the word ‘how’ being used liberally throughout the plan as an adverb not a question.’

‘We need clear deliverables evidenced by research and/or real-world evidence. It would be helpful to read that a 10-year plan has cross party support so that it survives political cycles (this will the 4th 10-year plan in 25 years - do the maths). A regular review and audit of the proposals and intent within the plan should be detailed so that the public can be assured that this plan was worth the public purse investment.’

‘My international policy advisory work, in many health jurisdictions, has revealed that sustainable healthcare reform is dependent on payment reform which ultimately leads to institutional reform. Will payment reform be detailed as much as the aspiration for new care modelling? Are we prepared, for example, for the closure of outpatient departments as we enact the ‘left shift’ (as the new NHSE CEO has intimated) with resources redeployed in community settings?’

‘I hope that the plan demonstrates a strong organisational memory, building on past successes but not trying harder at what has previously failed.’

‘I expect that there will be an extensive narration about the challenges for the NHS and extent of the problems that need to be fixed. It will probably be met with a range of targets and transactional solutions. There will be new constructs and structural changes to deliver. It has been the style of the last three 10-year plans. There’s nothing new in that approach.’

‘However, I do hope, and think, there will be genuine attempts to describe what was originally called ‘commissioning for outcomes’ - which focuses investment in success rather than bailing out failing services (as we have done too often in the past).’

‘I am always hopeful (and have been so throughout my career) - but I’m also a realist. I hope for a dramatic and significant change to the deliverables and clear description of ‘how’ the 3 ‘left shift’ drivers will be financially supported.’

‘Ideally, the 10-Year Health Plan would place substantial emphasis on proactive, preventative care across the health system. Strengthening primary and community care services, particularly with respect to long-term condition management and mental health support, is critical to improving population health and mitigating future demand.’

‘Equally, sustained investment in the healthcare workforce through recruitment, retention, and skills development is essential for ensuring high-quality and timely care.’

‘Finally, the plan must acknowledge and address health inequalities through tailored, evidence-based interventions, recognising the social determinants of health and ensuring equitable access to services for all communities.’

‘I anticipate that the 10-Year Health Plan will prioritise strategies to reduce the backlog created by the COVID-19 pandemic and to improve system resilience.’

‘I also expect a significant focus on technological innovation, including digital health tools and data-driven approaches to enhance care coordination and enable patient self-management.’

‘Moreover, the plan is likely to highlight the importance of integrated care systems, facilitating stronger collaboration between health and social care to deliver seamless, patient-centred services.’

‘Given current fiscal constraints, I would also anticipate an emphasis on improving efficiency and sustainability across the NHS.’

‘What is fundamentally needed is a plan that moves beyond rhetoric and commits to a radical redesign of the health service, placing a well-resourced and properly staffed primary care at its core.’

‘The stated ambition to shift the focus from sickness to prevention is the ultimate aim, but this requires a genuine rebalancing of NHS funding into primary and community settings. This means creating truly integrated neighbourhood health services where GPs, community nurses, social care, and voluntary services work as one team, breaking down the organisational silos that currently fragment patient care. ‘

‘To make it sustainable, the plan must address the workforce crisis with a credible strategy that not only recruits new GPs but, critically, improves working conditions to retain the experienced ones we have. Proactive care, prevention and citizen-based empowerment over their own health should be the cornerstone.’

‘Realistically, I expect the plan will be structured around the government's three confirmed strategic pillars: moving care from hospitals into the community, driving a digital transformation, and pivoting from treating sickness towards prevention.’

‘However, I anticipate the long-term vision will be constrained by short-term political and financial realities. The immediate priorities for 2025/26 are dominated by performance targets, such as cutting elective waiting lists and improving A&E times. Consequently, the often-quoted shift to the community will likely manifest initially as an expansion of digital services, with enhanced NHS App functionality, and the scaling of existing initiatives like Pharmacy First to manage demand.’

‘There will likely be an increased focus on cardiovascular disease and specifically hypertension which represents a significant risk to the health system.’

‘Given the extremely tight budgets and mandated productivity gains, I fear the ambitious, transformational changes needed for a truly preventative, community-focused service will be implemented slowly, overshadowed by the pressing need to meet immediate operational targets.’

‘I'd like to see multi-year contracts that give us time to embed transformative change properly, we need adequate time to get all the elements in place. We also need flexibility at the local level within a clear framework that ensures we're all moving in the right direction together.’

‘From a primary care network perspective, it would be great to have clarity on the future of PCNs and the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. There's significant speculation about ARRS which is creating uncertainty when it comes to workforce planning.’

‘I'd also like to see acknowledgment and protection for our current workforce - we can't just focus on recruiting new staff while overlooking the experienced professionals already holding the system together.’

‘I actually expect a strategy rather than a plan - high-level direction setting rather than detailed implementation steps.’

‘I'm excited to see the digital agenda and NHS app development feature prominently, with AI likely playing a significant role in supporting clinical decision-making and reducing administrative burden alongside recognition that new digital competencies will be required across all staff groups.’

‘We know scale matters when it comes to integrated neighbourhood health, so I anticipate broad principles on how to achieve this while maintaining local responsiveness.’

‘On workforce, while the Spending Review commits to training thousands more GPs and 8,500 mental health professionals, the current workforce plan needs an overhaul - we need to think differently about how we attract, train and retain our workforce. If we can't get this right, everything else will fail.’

‘What would I like to see? Well, exactly the direction of travel that was suggested. A significant shift to resource in primary care from secondary care. Use of modern technology - well I have a single GP computer system like most of us - but colleagues working in hospital talk about having one system for lab results, another for x-rays, another for NEWS scores, another for their clinical records, another for the letters and correspondence that have been added to the hospital system and the GP records. Let's just have one single patient record across the system? And yes, would agree that we need to move from treatment to prevention - and that starts in childhood, and requires adequate resource.’

‘What do I expect? I have heard governments and the NHS talk about these three areas before but perhaps this time we will see real change.’

‘I genuinely hope so - but I won’t hold my breath.’

‘This feels like a much-anticipated plan that is being awaited with high expectations! The talk about neighbourhood health feels positive and logical as it is in line with how we are already working in primary care.’

‘Wes Streeting has indicated that he wants development to be delivered “bottom up” to reduce centralised decision making so I am keen to see how this will be contracted as the devil will be in the detail.’

‘With our commissioning colleagues at NHS England and ICBs going through a difficult period of restructure it looks like providers will be tasked with much of the reorganisation, working in collaborative arrangements. There is a risk that with a lack of commissioning oversight, success will be contingent on developing good local relationships which will cause variability for patients.’

‘I would like to see more of a focus on tackling unwarranted variation and more freedom and flexibility for providers that are delivering excellent care to patients.’

‘It will focus on the three shifts required to modernise the NHS and tackle the main threats we face due to the burden of disease and financial pressure.’

‘Again, this all sounds logical but what levers and performance measures will be included, and how will we be able to focus our collective minds on these difficult challenges when also dealing with a background of financial pressure and central change?’

‘one of these are new ideas and the expectation will now be to deliver ambitious goals in what is probably the most difficult era the NHS has ever faced. So what will be different this time?’

‘From my experience in primary care management and leadership, I believe the upcoming 10-Year Health Plan must prioritise meaningful investment in primary care capacity—particularly by supporting sustainable workforce growth, easing administrative burdens, and genuinely embedding quality improvement methods to streamline care delivery.’

‘It’s critical that we shift from short-term fixes to lasting, practical solutions focused on patient outcomes and provider wellbeing.’

‘Realistically, based on previous plans and initiatives, I expect the new 10-Year Health Plan will likely emphasise greater integration of primary care with community and acute services, alongside ambitious digital health agendas.’

‘However, my hope is that this integration is backed by clear funding commitments and practical implementation support rather than aspirational statements alone.’