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Why after 35 Years of NHS plans, treatment is still favoured over prevention?

The aims of the government’s 10 year health plan – such as the shift from prevention to cure – are not new and have been priorities in many other health plans over the last 35 years. The question we need to ask is why have previous plans failed in achieving these objectives?

The short-term electoral cycle prioritises funding for immediate, visible hospital crises over long-term strategies whose benefits are not seen for years. This is compounded by a health system that is designed to reward the treatment of sickness, not the promotion of wellness. 

The persistent fragmentation between the NHS, public health and social care, and pressures from an ageing population and widening health inequalities have created a reactive environment where long-term strategic goals are perpetually sacrificed to manage immediate demands.

The UK government and NHS staff do not lack insight into what improves health. Unless we redesign the incentives, protect public‑health budgets and hold every department—not just the NHS—to account for population health, the next Ten‑Year Plan risks becoming another plan that does not improve the NHS or health outcomes in England.

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