Parkinson's UK responds to the government's consultation on future of 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.

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.”