This blog post explores how Labour's pledges for health inequalities and prevention are beginning to take shape and what this involves for the future of public health.
Manifesto Commitments and Mission Delivery Boards
One of five missions in Labour's manifesto is to "Build an NHS fit for the future". To fulfill these missions, Keir Starmer plans to chair new cross-government “mission delivery boards” with the intent to focus on measurable outcomes rather than short-term political gain.
Labour is committed to more care delivered in local communities to spot problems earlier and "halving the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions in England”. This commitment underscores the need to address the root causes of health inequalities. By focusing on the social determinants of health, Labour aims to create a more equitable health system where socioeconomic status does not dictate health outcomes.
To achieve these ambitious goals, a robust emphasis on prevention is crucial. Prevention is a key pillar of the 2019 Long Term Plan, which committed to boosting 'out-of-hospital' care and investing in community health services.
Labour’s 10 Year Plan for Health Services
The new government is working towards completing a 10 Year Plan for Health Services. Although an exact timeline has not been officially confirmed, Labour has begun to take action towards their manifesto pledges. A recent article in the Health Service Journal (HSJ) suggests a potential publication target of spring 2025 for the 10 Year Plan, presumably to align with the government's Spring Budget 2025 and the annual Department of Health & Social Care budget.
The 10 Year Plan will sit alongside the existing NHS Long Term Plan and represents a strategic long-term vision for the healthcare system, aimed at addressing ongoing and future challenges in public health and healthcare delivery. The findings from the recently launched independent investigation of NHS performance, led by Professor Ara Darzi, will feed into the 10 Year Plan. This independent investigation is due to report in September, focusing on providing a raw and honest assessment of the state of the NHS. The investigation aims to comprehensively diagnose the health service's challenges, establishing a foundation for future improvements.
The HSJ has reported that the upcoming 10 Year Plan will not cover primary prevention, which will be addressed by one of the planned “mission delivery boards”. Instead, it is expected to focus on secondary prevention and public health teams, intermediate care services, and core NHS services.
- Secondary Prevention: This involves early diagnosis, screening, and intervention to prevent the progression of diseases. This will support reducing disparities and improving life expectancy.
- Public Health Teams: Strengthening public health teams is essential for effective disease prevention and health promotion. Labour’s emphasis on this area is expected to enhance community health initiatives and support broader public health goals.
- Intermediate Care Services: The services at the boundary between hospital and home and social care, managing patient transitions and preventing hospital readmissions. Improving these services can lead to more efficient and patient-centered care.
Personalised Prevention
Currently, as part of the NHS Prevention Prgramme, secondary prevention focuses on regular diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, and high cholesterol to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Secondary prevention, anticipated to be a central component of Labour's 10 Year Plan, is typically implemented in community settings including clinics and health centres. Supported by public health initiatives and health education programmes, secondary prevention emphasises early diagnosis, screening, and timely intervention to prevent disease progression, improve patient outcomes and survival rates of major conditions. By providing care in local community settings, it enables more people to easily access services and reduces health disparities.
As part of this, Personalised Prevention is expected to play a significant part in Labour’s 10 Year Plan. At the forefront of this initiative is Professor John Deanfield, appointed in 2023 as the Government Champion for Personalised Prevention. In this capacity, he heads the personalised cardiovascular disease prevention service, which aims to harness technology and data to predict and manage health risks, thus advancing preventive care in line with Labour's health priorities.
In his role Deanfield has authored the report ‘Making Prevention Everyone’s Business’ released by the Department of Health and Social Care. This report outlines his recommendations for a more ambitious prevention service, including the establishment of a “digital-first National Prevention Service.” As part of this vision, a new “prevention portal” within the NHS App is proposed to offer a comprehensive digital prevention pathway.
The prevention portal is suggested to allow users to:
- Access and interact with their personal health data.
- Receive detailed assessments and personalised prevention plans.
- Be signposted to relevant digital and face-to-face services as needed.
Offering these services would support the government in informing, empowering and rewarding people for taking responsibility for their own health.8 The vision for this digital-first National Prevention Service is to evolve to encourage regular self-assessment, provide tailored feedback and action plans, and share reminders about screening and vaccination opportunities.
Karin Smyth, Minister of State for Health, recently spoke at an AI summit hosted by the Health Foundation. In her address, she reaffirmed several key manifesto commitments, emphasising the role of artificial intelligence in advancing healthcare. Smyth highlighted that AI will be utilised not only for clinical and administrative functions but also for diagnosing health issues, reinforcing Labour’s commitment to healthcare innovation.
The manifesto commitments include:
- Doubling the number of CT and MRI scanners within the NHS to enhance diagnostic capabilities and earlier diagnosis.
- Developing a strategy for the innovation and adoption of new technologies across the NHS.
- Reforming incentive structures to promote the uptake of cutting-edge technologies.
Labour's vision for a future-ready NHS is becoming clearer as their pledges turn into actionable plans. By leveraging digital tools, integrating services, and ensuring equitable access, they anticipate significant improvements in public health outcomes. Translating manifesto commitments into the forthcoming 10 Year Plan and ensuring their effective delivery, along with the effective delivery of mission boards, will be crucial in achieving their ambitious goals for the future of healthcare in the UK.
