10 Year Health Plan: the challenge for NHS communications and engagement

The NHS needs to futureproof the way it engages and communicates with patients and the public to rebuild public confidence in the service. With the government's 10 Year Health Plan heralding a new era for the NHS, communications and engagement professionals working in the health sector have a vital role to play in informing the public of these ambitions and creating compelling narratives that make the case for change. Patients and the public need to be supported with clear, accessible communications that enable people to manage their health and wellbeing more effectively, while developing effective public health campaigns that support the public with preventative measures and healthy lifestyles. At the heart of these changes will be the need to develop a different relationship between the NHS and the public it serves, requiring local services to ensure that patient experience and local communities' insight play a much stronger role in shaping decisions about service provision. Combined with important changes in public attitudes to healthcare and the impact of AI and other new digital technologies, this creates risks and opportunities for the NHS.