The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a consultation seeking views on draft secondary legislation that would explicitly exempt brand advertising from upcoming restrictions on less healthy food and drink advertising. The draft Advertising (Less Healthy Food) (Brand Advertising Exemption) Regulations 2025 aims to clarify existing policy intentions before the main restrictions take effect on 5 January 2026. The consultation running until 11:59pm on 6 August 2025, focuses solely on the brand advertising exemption's implementation, not broader policy aspects already established in the Communications Act 2003 and 2024 regulations.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a consultation on the draft General Medical Council Order 2026, which proposes reforms to how the General Medical Council regulates medical practitioners, physician associates and anaesthesia associates across the UK. The consultation also seeks views on implementing recommendations 1 and 9 of the Leng Review, relating to changes to professional titles to improve clarity for patients, and on regulatory reform recommendations made by Lord Mann in his rapid review into antisemitism and other forms of racism in healthcare. The consultation closes on 23 June 2026.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a consultation on introducing fair pay agreements for adult social care workers in England. The consultation proposes the creation of an independent Adult Social Care Negotiating Body to recommend pay and conditions for workers, supported by government funding of £500m for implementation through local councils. The body would include equal representation from employers and workers, chaired by an independent figure, and operate within limits set by a government remit letter outlining financial boundaries and priorities. Fair pay agreements would cover contracted adult social care staff, including carers, managers, and agency workers, but exclude volunteers and self-employed individuals. The agreements may include minimum pay, training opportunities, and improved terms such as sick pay, pensions, and wellbeing support. Disputes would be mediated by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas), and compliance would be overseen by the Fair Work Agency. The consultation closes on 6 March 2026.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a consultation seeking views on proposed amendments to the National Health Service (NHS) Pension Scheme, set to take effect from 1 April 2025. The consultation outlines several key changes aimed at enhancing the scheme's ability to attract and retain NHS staff. Proposed amendments include making overtime pensionable up to whole-time equivalent hours, clarifying contribution calculations for periods of reduced pay, revising regulations for GP and non-GP provider annual certificates, allowing affected members to revoke deferred choice elections related to the McCloud remedy, and implementing various technical and miscellaneous changes. DHSC is inviting stakeholders to provide feedback on these proposals until 4 February 2025.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a consultation on proposed amendments to the Branded Health Service Medicines (Costs) Regulations 2018. The consultation proposes to update the payment percentage for newer medicines and simplify the procedure for future consultations, with the aim of restoring broad commercial equivalence with the voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access and growth (VPAG). The consultation, published on 10 February 2026, includes a consultation document and impact assessment covering the proposed changes to headline payment percentage and approach to consultations of the statutory scheme. Responses are welcomed from any interested person, business or organisation, with the consultation closing at 11:59pm on 21 April 2026.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a national conversation about the future of NHS to help guide it's 10-year Health Plan. The plan, which will be focused on various shifts in healthcare, is scheduled to be published in Spring 2025. The DHSC will invite NHS staff, experts and the members of the public to share their views, ideas and experiences on how the system can be improved.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a rapid, independent national investigation into maternity and neonatal services across 14 NHS trusts, chaired by Baroness Valerie Amos. The inquiry, shaped with input from bereaved and harmed families, will focus on understanding lived experiences, reviewing safety and quality of care, addressing systemic failings and inequalities, and making national recommendations, with interim findings due in December 2025. The trusts, selected on the basis of safety data, mortality rates, patient surveys, diversity of provision and family feedback, include Barking, Havering and Redbridge, Blackpool, Bradford, East Kent, Gloucestershire, Leeds, Oxford, Sandwell and West Birmingham, Shrewsbury and Telford, King’s Lynn, Leicester, Morecambe Bay, Sussex and Somerset. Three of the trusts—Shrewsbury and Telford, East Kent Hospitals, and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay—have previously been subject to investigations, and lessons from those reviews will be incorporated. The investigation will run alongside a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce chaired by the Secretary of State, with the shared aim of tackling inequalities, strengthening accountability and securing consistently safe, high-quality maternity and neonatal care nationwide.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced a two-part national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services, to report by December 2025. The investigation includes immediate review of ten concerning units and establishment of a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce chaired by the Health Secretary. New measures include a November 2025 deadline for implementing a digital safety monitoring system across all maternity services, enhanced trust accountability procedures and an anti-discrimination programme targeting care inequalities for Black and Asian patients.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England have announced the initial phase of the ten-year health plan by introducing neighbourhood health services in the most deprived areas of England, where healthy life expectancy is lowest. These services aim to deliver NHS care closer to home, especially for individuals with multiple long-term conditions and complex health needs, thereby reducing hospital admissions and addressing health inequalities. DHSC Secretary, Wes Streeting, stated that local authorities and health services are invited to apply as pioneer sites for the programme. Successful applicants will participate in a national coaching initiative over the summer, preparing them to implement neighbourhood health services from September 2025. The first 42 sites will receive structured support, guidance, and performance metrics. The initiative features integrated care teams comprising of GPs, nurses, social workers, carers, and voluntary sector staff, as exemplified by the Team Up Derbyshire model. A joint taskforce, chaired by Sir John Oldham, has been established to oversee implementation, involving NHS leaders, local government officials, and voluntary organisations.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced a review of the outdated Carr-Hill formula used to allocate general practitioner (GP) funding, aiming to ensure a fairer distribution of resources to communities with the greatest health needs. The initiative aims to address the longstanding disparities affecting deprived and coastal areas, where GP shortages, poorer service ratings, and reduced access to care are most prevalent. Evidence shows that practices in these areas receive significantly less funding per patient, despite higher demand and more complex health needs. The review forms part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, which includes £1.1bn in additional investment, GP recruitment, and expanded online booking, with the goal of improving access and reducing health inequalities across England.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced a £20m grant programme to support development of technologies addressing drug and alcohol addiction, delivered through Innovate UK as part of the Addiction Healthcare Goals programme. The initiative offers two funding tiers: awards up to £10m for late-stage projects demonstrating real-world effectiveness and UK market readiness, and up to £1.5m for earlier-stage innovations. Applications opened on 16 February 2026 and close on 6 May 2026. Successful applicants will receive exclusive access to education sessions from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to support navigation of evidence requirements and pathways to UK certification and approval. The programme targets development of medicines, medical devices, wearables, virtual-reality therapies, treatment applications and artificial intelligence-enabled tools intended to improve treatment outcomes, prevent relapse and reduce overdose risk.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced that all general practitioner (GP) practices in England must now keep online consultation tools available from 8 am to 6:30 pm, Monday to Friday, effective from 1 October 2025. This measure aims to eliminate the morning rush for appointments by allowing patients to submit requests digitally throughout the day, thereby easing pressure on phone lines and improving access. Backed by a £1.1bn investment and the recruitment of over 2,000 GPs, the reform is part of a broader strategy to modernise general practice and improve patient experience. NHS England has provided implementation support, and practices must now also publish a patient charter outlining service expectations. Early adopters have reported reduced waiting times and improved satisfaction, with digital submissions nearly doubling year-on-year, reflecting growing public demand for flexible access to care.