England’s 10 Year Health Plan: Will it really be “Fit for the Future”?

By Chris Gresswell-Green

Published July 07, 2025In: Clinical Negligence

At Switalskis, our priority is and always has been patient safety, meaningful reform and preventing future harm.

So, like many who work closely with people affected by avoidable medical harm, we’ve been waiting for the government’s long-promised 10 Year Health Plan with cautious interest. The newly published strategy, Fit for the Future , outlines major changes in how the NHS in England will work in the years ahead.

The plan follows a stark warning from Lord Ara Darzi’s review (published in September 2024) that the NHS is in a “critical ” and “deteriorating ” state. In response, the government has promised bold action.

A shift in approach – but will it go far enough?

The plan outlines a strategic shift in three key areas:

From hospital care to community-based services
From analogue systems to digital innovation
From treating sickness to preventing illness

There is a welcome £29 billion investment in to the system, including a new network of Neighbourhood Health Centres and an enhanced NHS App that aims to become the “digital front door ” for care. The government wants the NHS to become the most AI-enabled health service in the world – using data and technology to spot risks earlier and prevent avoidable harm.

Prevention is also a core theme, with universal newborn genomic testing and easier access to screening and vaccinations planned.

A promise to put safety first

Importantly, the plan recognises the lasting harm caused by failures like the Mid Staffordshire and recent maternity scandals. It pledges to put safety and accountability at the heart of NHS services.

A new National Maternity and Taskforce is one of several steps designed to improve standards, while for the first time, patient feedback could help determine how NHS trusts are funded. There’s also a commitment to appoint a National Director of Patient Experience – giving patients a stronger voice at the highest levels of decision-making.

These are positive steps and they’re long overdue.

A look at clinical negligence reform

For those affected by medical negligence, there are proposals to improve the way claims are handled. The plan includes:

A review of how rising legal costs are managed (due later this year)
Advice from David Lock KC to help improve the experience of claimants
Stronger powers for the Care Quality Commission to act where care is unsafe
Greater authority for commissioners to decommission poor services

These proposals are promising but to make a real difference, they must be more than policy ideas. They must lead to real change for the people who rely on the NHS every day.

Through our work, we see every day how medical failings impact people’s lives. Behind every statistic is a person or a family whose life has been turned upside down by delays, mistakes or unsafe care. These are not just systemic issues - they’re deeply personal stories of loss, trauma and injustice.

For this plan to truly be “Fit for the Future ”, it must go further than restructuring services. It must:

Ensure that patients can raise concerns easily and be listened to
Build a culture where learning from mistakes is prioritised over blame
Give genuine protection to whistleblowers who speak out
Provide accessible legal support for patients and families when things go wrong

We support any initiative that aims to make healthcare safer and more transparent but change must be shaped by the people it’s meant to protect. It must learn from the lived experiences of those who have suffered from negligent care.

How Switalskis medical negligence team can help you

At Switalskis, we’ll continue to stand alongside our clients and campaign for a healthcare system that’s not just fit for the future but fair, safe and accountable.