Statement in response to the government’s 10 Year Health Plan

Responding to the publication of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, Professor Habib Naqvi, chief executive of the NHS Race and Health Observatory, said:

“We welcome the ambitions for the NHS set out in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.

“At a time of unprecedented challenge for the NHS, long term thinking is essential, and we need to be aspiring towards a healthcare system that serves all communities equitably. To realise this endeavour, it’s vital that the new Neighbourhood Health Services look to build and rebuild levels of trust with patients and the diverse communities they serve.

“The government has outlined a clear commitment to tackling inequalities and placing a duty on healthcare providers to identify and address disparities in access, experience, and outcomes for patients, and in the experiences and opportunities for staff. In its implementation, it’s essential that the plan tackles inequity in all its forms and takes account of the complex ways in which forms of inequity interact.

“Making this plan a success will require collaboration across the whole system. The Observatory remains committed to supporting the government, and the NHS, in the pursuit of equity – the very principle upon which the NHS was founded 77 years ago.”