The NHS 10-year plan – what does it mean for people with MS?

You might’ve heard about Change NHS, which launched late last year. It was a consultation described as “the biggest ever conversation” about the future of the NHS in England.

We encouraged our community to get involved, and we submitted a response. We made policy recommendations that’d support people with MS to get the right care at the right time, no matter who they are, where they live or their circumstances.

Now, the government and the NHS have published their 10-Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future.

What will the plan change?

The plan commits to:

• shifting more care out of hospitals and into the community

• focusing on prevention and early intervention to help people stay healthier for longer

• making better use of digital tools and data to improve care.

The plan marks a shift towards changing how care is delivered by bringing it closer to home, reflecting what people living with MS have long been asking for. Many people with MS face significant challenges travelling to receive care. So making services more local is essential to easing this burden and improving quality of life.

Our response

We welcome the long-term commitment to making care more local. But we’re concerned about how this will be achieved, considering the pressure on NHS workforces and resources.

People with MS need a timely diagnosis, access to disease modifying therapies, and specialist services such as physiotherapy and neurorehabilitation. All these services must be included in this move towards more community-based care. And people with MS need clear information about where they will receive the majority of their care and treatment. It’s essential to define how neighbourhood teams will work with specialist services to ensure seamless, coordinated support close to home. So we’re calling for a dedicated plan that sets out how community-based support will be put into action.

We’re committed to working closely with the NHS to ensure that people living with MS get the care and support they need. We’ll do this by sharing our expertise and offering help where there are gaps in care – and providing vital services through our amazing local groups, which will be more important than ever.

And we’ll continue to represent and advocate for our MS community, such as through our work with The Richmond Group of Charities. We'll work towards meaningful closer partnerships between the NHS and charities to provide better support for people at diagnosis and beyond.

Does this impact Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales?

No, the plan only applies to England.

In Northern Ireland, Health and Wellbeing 2026 – Delivering Together was launched in 2016.

In Scotland, the NHS Scotland operational improvement plan was released earlier this year.

In Wales, Working Together for a Healthier Wales is the current long-term strategy, launched in 2023 and in place until 2035.

As opportunities to contribute to consultations in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales arise, we’ll let you know.

We’ll keep you updated

We’ll keep you updated as we learn more information about how the plan will be put into action. In the meantime, if you’d like to stay updated on and learn how to get involved with our campaigns work across the UK, sign up using your email address here.