Parkinson’s UK responds to the government’s consultation on the future of the NHS in England

What is the 10 Year Health Plan?

The government has promised to create a 10 Year Health Plan to fix the NHS in England. In October 2024, it launched the largest public conversation in the NHS's history to help shape the plan.

The government has suggested three big changes to the way health and care services should work:

• Moving more care from hospitals to communities.
• Making better use of technology in health and care.
• Focusing on preventing a worsening of illness, as well as treating it.

The consultation asks for views on these changes and any other specific changes that communities of patients and healthcare professionals want to see.

What we said

We hosted workshops for the Parkinson's community to let us know what should be in the plan. We heard from people with Parkinson’s, their care partners and healthcare professionals.

We used their input to tell the government that the 10 Year Health Plan must:

1. Make sure that everyone with Parkinson’s can access care that is right for them from experts in Parkinson’s, in a convenient place and when they need it. This cannot be done without increasing the number of Parkinson’s healthcare professionals.
2. Use digital technology to better meet the needs of people with Parkinson’s and connect the different parts of the NHS so care is more joined up. However, it is vital that alternatives are available so that no one is left behind if they face barriers to using digital technology.
3. Promote physical activity, exercise and early access to support to keep people with Parkinson's well for longer and avoid hospital admissions.

For more information on what Parkinson’s UK wants to see in the 10 Year Health Plan, read our full response.

How you can feed your ideas into the government’s plans

You can share your vision for the future of the NHS too. It’s important that as many people as possible call for change in Parkinson’s care. If you agree with our three messages, consider including them in your own submission.

You can submit your ideas by following these simple steps:

1. Go to the Change NHS webpage 
2. Click ‘Get started’ in the blue bar at the bottom of the webpage
3. Register for an account by entering your details 
4. Share your experiences of care on the NHS and your ideas for change through the online form. It might be helpful to gather your thoughts in a document or notes first.

For more information, read our easy ‘how to’ guide.

Juliet Tizzard, Director of External Relations at Parkinson’s UK, said:

“Parkinson’s is too often overlooked by NHS leaders and the government. This is our chance to help them understand how the NHS is failing our people with Parkinson’s and offer practical solutions they can implement now. We’ve fed in our views, based on what we’ve heard. Now is your chance to get your voice heard so do take part through the Change NHS website.”