What the 10 Year Health Plan means for you

On 3 July, the UK Government published its 10 Year Health Plan, setting out a vision for the NHS in England over the next decade. While the plan holds promise, it’s important that the needs of people with arthritis and other musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are no longer overlooked.

At Versus Arthritis, we believe this plan could bring real benefits – if delivered and funded well. But we also know that MSK conditions have historically been under-recognised and under-prioritised. That’s why we’re calling for a dedicated MSK plan so that the government’s vision can turn into action and deliver for our community.

What’s in the plan?

The plan focuses on three areas:

• Hospital to community – bringing care closer to home.
• Analogue to digital – expanding digital tools like apps to help people manage their health better.
• Sickness to prevention – investing in public health and early intervention so people can stay well for longer.

But what does this mean for people with arthritis? Here’s what we’re watching closely:

Neighbourhood Health Services: care closer to home

The idea of Neighbourhood Health Centres is promising for our community. Many people with arthritis rely on services like physiotherapy, weight management, and rehabilitation to stay well – and not always in a hospital. Having these available in one place, in the community, could make it easier for people to get the care they need closer to home, and tailored to their individual needs.

But we’re worried that community services, including MSK care, are often understaffed and underfunded. Without proper investment, people with arthritis may continue to face barriers to getting the care they need – wherever they are.

We’re urging the government to make MSK the health priority it needs to be, and that local health leaders design these neighbourhood health services around the needs of people with multiple and complex conditions, like arthritis.

Digital health: opportunities and challenges

Digital tools like the NHS app could make it easier to manage appointments and treatment more easily. For many, this could be a game-changer.

But not everyone has, or can use, digital tools like this. We’ve recommended to government that they are produced alongside people with arthritis, making sure that they’re easy to use, regardless of a person’s confidence and experience online. Everyone deserves the right care, at the right time – whether online or offline.

Prevention: a welcome focus for our community

We’re pleased to see a focus on stop smoking services, physical activity, weight management, and employment support – things that many in our community tell us are important to them living well with arthritis.

These programmes could help reduce symptoms, improve the effectiveness of medications and surgery, and support people to stay active and independent. But they must be evidence-based, accessible, and inclusive. Everyone living with arthritis should have equal access to these services, wherever they live.

What’s Next?

The plan outlines an important vision, but the details are still to come. We’re watching closely to see how the government plans to carry out these ambitions and what it could mean in reality for our community.

We’ll continue to campaign to make sure that MSK is made the health priority it needs to be. We’re pleased conditions like cardiovascular disease and mental health now have dedicated plans in place, but people with arthritis must not be left behind.

That’s why we’re calling for a dedicated MSK plan to make sure that an NHS fit for the future is fit for everyone, including people with arthritis.

Thank you for taking action

Earlier this year, many of you took part in the public consultation on the 10 Year Health Plan. Your voices matter – and they’ve helped shape the future of our NHS.

We’ll keep you updated as the plan develops. Together, we’ll keep pushing for a health system that delivers for everyone living with arthritis – now, and in the future.