The Department of Health and Social Care recently sought input on its forthcoming 10-Year NHS Plan, aiming to address the evolving needs of patients and the health and care system. This response is submitted by Judith Smith, Pete Bower, Tara Lamont and Cat Chatfield on behalf of HSR UK and our member organisations. Centre leads from our member organisations have also commented on and contributed to this response.
The Role of Health Services Research
Health Services Research is critical to transforming the NHS. Unlike other forms of research that focus on clinical treatments, HSR evaluates how healthcare services are organised, delivered and improved to achieve better outcomes. By translating scientific and medical advancements into actionable improvements in care, HSR ensures effective, sustainable innovation across the NHS.
Key Recommendations for the 10-Year Plan
- Incorporate HSR as a Central Enabler
- Systematically integrate HSR into the Plan to inform and evaluate policies, services and workforce strategies.
- Leverage HSR expertise for evidence synthesis and policy evaluation to avoid implementation pitfalls and drive success.
- Address Challenges in Shifting Care from Hospitals to Communities
- Use HSR to understand barriers and enablers for moving care closer to patients.
- Build on existing evidence from initiatives like hospital-at-home trials and integrated care pilots.
- Maximise the Potential of Technology
- Avoid rushing to adopt unproven technologies by grounding decisions in HSR evaluations.
- Ensure equitable and effective implementation of innovations like AI in diagnostics and virtual consultations.
- Spot Illness Earlier and Tackle Root Causes
- Invest in preventative services and early detection, informed by robust public health and HSR evidence.
- Avoid overdiagnosis and overtreatment by critically assessing proposed innovations.
- Commit to Workforce Wellbeing and Development
- Adopt a system-wide approach to create trauma-informed, supportive environments for NHS staff.
- Address workforce shortages through sustainable strategies, including incentives for recruitment and retention.
- Strengthen Research Infrastructure
- Accelerate access to NHS data for timely evaluations.
- Improve data systems to support interoperability, completeness, and equitable research.
- Emphasise Diversity and Public Involvement
- Develop inclusive strategies to engage underrepresented communities in research and service design.
- Co-create research and services to enhance trust, improve outcomes, and reduce inequalities.
Policy Priorities for Success
- Short-Term (1 Year): Simplify research approvals and integrate evaluations into service innovations.
- Mid-Term (2–5 Years): Expand access to interoperable data systems and invest in digital infrastructure.
- Long-Term (5+ Years): Build a sustainable research and workforce strategy, embed HSR into medical training and promote diversity and equity in research and services.
Conclusion
HSR is uniquely positioned to drive meaningful, evidence-based transformation in the NHS. By embedding HSR into the 10-Year Plan, the government can ensure that reforms are effective, equitable and sustainable, ultimately improving outcomes for patients, communities, and staff.
Read our full submission to the Ten Year Health Plan consultation here.