Department Of Health

The Department of Health and Social Care publishes UK Clinical Research Delivery programme key performance indicators covering data through July 2026. The official statistics in development measure regulatory and study set-up speed and predictability, delivery of research to time and target volume, and overall clinical research activity across the UK. This edition supersedes previous reports published on the programme website.

The Department of Health and Social Care explains its UK-wide and England-specific medical stockpiles and the contractual arrangements used to strengthen supply resilience. UK-wide reserves include chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear response materials, as well as pandemic supplies such as medicines, vaccines, clinical fluids, needles and syringes. England also maintains pandemic stocks of personal protective equipment and hygiene items, while the other UK nations have their own PPE provisions. Hospital-medicine suppliers serving England must hold at least eight weeks of secondary-care demand, and NHS Supply Chain usually holds about four weeks of medical products. The UK Health Security Agency separately maintains anti-toxins, immunoglobulins and antivenoms. DHSC plans to continue replenishing reserves and using dynamic stockpiling where appropriate to improve resilience while reducing cost and waste.

The UK government is developing a national fast-track care pathway for people with motor neurone disease to reduce delays and improve coordination across health, social care and housing services. Inspired by the integrated Rob Burrow Centre in Leeds, the pathway will involve the MND Association, patients, carers and frontline partners, with measures including faster assessments, advance care planning, quicker Disabled Facilities Grant processing and waiving the grant means test for people with MND. The initiative forms part of wider social care reform and the government’s plans for a future national care service, while the MND Association welcomes the commitment but calls for rapid implementation nationwide.

Official statistics from the Department of Health and Social Care cover medicine supply issue and discontinuation notifications reported through the Discontinuations and Shortages portal between July 2025 and June 2026. The publication also presents the root causes of supply issue notifications recorded in 2025, with comparative historical data and accompanying information on data sources, coverage, definitions, methodology, quality assurance and limitations.

The UK government will develop formal regulation and stronger oversight of the funeral sector after funeral director Robert Bush was sentenced to 20 years in prison for 67 offences, including fraud, theft and preventing lawful burials at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull. The Department of Health and Social Care will lead cross-government work with the Ministry of Justice and Law Commission, including a review of criminal law concerning deceased people and possible new offences. Officials will consult funeral providers, faith groups, families and other stakeholders. Industry and community organizations broadly welcomed the initiative, while emphasizing proportionate rules, support for independent providers, religious burial requirements and consistent standards for bereaved families.

Eleven long-term partnerships between NHS trusts and construction companies have been signed to deliver the first wave of hospitals under England’s New Hospital Programme. The Hospital 2.0 model combines national design and construction standards, digital innovation and modern construction methods while retaining local NHS responsibility for community needs. The government says the approach will reduce procurement delays, improve value for taxpayers, support staff and patients, and create jobs and skills across the construction industry.

The Department of Health and Social Care outlines a coordinated plan to reduce fraud, bribery and corruption from 2026 to 2029 by integrating counter‑fraud measures into systems and processes, improving data use and analytics, enhancing collaboration across health bodies and pursuing enforcement when fraud occurs. The strategy focuses on prevention and detection, workforce capability, whole‑system coordination and recovery actions, with national leadership provided by the DHSC Anti‑Fraud Unit and alignment with the NHS Counter Fraud Authority.

£4.5 million in funding is being allocated to improve maternity and neonatal services across Berkshire, addressing urgent safety risks such as fire safety, ventilation, and outdated infrastructure. The investment forms part of £187 million in national improvements and follows recommendations from the Amos Review. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized the importance of high‑quality maternity care during a visit to Royal Berkshire Hospital. Ongoing national reforms include increased midwife recruitment, initiatives to reduce brain injuries during labour, and the extension of Martha’s Rule across England.

The UK government will ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s in England from April 2027, subject to parliamentary approval. The restriction will cover shops, vending machines and online retailers, applying to drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre, except tea and coffee; business-to-business sales are excluded. Retailers will be responsible for compliance, while local authorities will enforce the ban and businesses could face fines of up to £2,500. The policy follows a consultation that received 1,095 responses and strong support, with health, education, public health and youth advocates citing links between energy drinks and anxiety, poor sleep, reduced concentration, dental problems and inequality.

England will introduce nationwide newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy through an expanded evaluation programme. Testing will use the standard heel-prick blood sample, with laboratories expected to begin screening in October 2026 and full coverage planned across England by October 2027. Early diagnosis can enable treatment before symptoms cause irreversible loss of motor function. The Department of Health and Social Care will seek funding for the rollout, drawing on the approach used in Scotland, while a £4.1 million National Institute for Health and Care Research study led by the University of Oxford will evaluate the programme and inform future UK screening recommendations. Health officials and SMA campaign groups welcomed the move as a way to reduce postcode inequalities and improve outcomes for affected children.

The UK government is promoting children’s physical activity over the summer holidays by backing Joe Wicks’ animated fitness series Activate. New survey data shows widespread parental concern about children’s inactivity and low confidence that daily activity guidelines will be met. The free five‑minute episodes on BBC iPlayer and CBeebies aim to make regular movement easy and enjoyable, featuring themed challenges and music. Officials and partners highlight the programme’s role in supporting refreshed national physical activity guidelines and addressing high inactivity and obesity rates. The initiative is part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, encouraging families to adopt sustainable healthy habits and reducing long‑term pressure on the NHS.

The UK and the European Union Drugs Agency signed a working arrangement to strengthen early detection of dangerous substances, improve information exchange and enhance joint responses to emerging drug threats. The agreement supports collaboration on public health protection, prevention, treatment and drug‑market monitoring, fulfilling a commitment from the 2025 UK‑EU Summit. UK ministers and EUDA leadership emphasized the need for coordinated intelligence‑sharing to address rising harms from synthetic opioids and other emerging substances. The arrangement aims to disrupt criminal networks, reduce drug‑related deaths and improve community safety across the UK and Europe.

The report outlines progress on the New Hospital Programme during the 2025 to 2026 financial year following its implementation reset. It details achievements, the status of hospital schemes, funding information, and priorities for future delivery. It also explains the methodology used for reporting financial and scheme data and is supported by accompanying annual data tables.

The UK government introduced the Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25 percent over the next decade through prevention, early diagnosis and improved treatment. Supported by a new partnership with Diabetes UK, the plan focuses on identifying high‑risk individuals, improving management of conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and expanding public awareness tools. NHS England and several health charities endorsed the framework, highlighting its emphasis on prevention, targeted testing, community outreach and reducing health inequalities. Projections indicate thousands of lives could be saved annually as the framework is implemented nationwide.

New NHS staff standards will hold employers formally accountable for tackling racism, violence, sexual harassment and other workplace issues, with performance published in league tables. Introduced in partnership with NHS England and trade unions, the standards will influence NHS Trusts’ ratings through the NHS Oversight Framework beginning in July 2026. Leaders and workforce groups welcome the measures, citing the need for improved safety, accountability and support for staff. The initiative supports wider government goals to strengthen recruitment, retention and productivity as part of upcoming long-term workforce planning.

Pilot schemes developed by government, industry and NHS partners will test new mechanisms to speed patient access to innovative medicines in the UK, including rare‑disease therapies that have already met safety and quality standards. The measures build on NICE’s updated cost‑effectiveness threshold, which has already enabled nine additional medicines to be approved, with the potential for up to five more each year. Additional pilots will evaluate productivity benefits, industry co‑investment in patient pathways and regional funding to widen uptake. Ministers, industry leaders and patient groups support the initiatives as a route to faster, fairer access to treatments and strengthened UK life sciences competitiveness.

The report outlines progress in delivering England’s New Hospital Programme during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, detailing advances in construction, business case development and governance reforms following the programme reset in 2025. Improved standardisation through the Hospital 2.0 model, strengthened oversight, expanded supply chain partnerships and enhanced delivery capability contributed to stabilising early schemes and preparing later waves. Several hospitals advanced to construction or completed enabling works, while RAAC‑affected sites remained a priority. Oversight bodies including the NAO and NISTA provided scrutiny, with the programme receiving an amber delivery confidence rating. Funding continued across all waves, and key milestones included land acquisitions, business case approvals and progress on standardised design systems. The report sets deliverables for 2026 to 2027 focused on construction progress for wave 1 and early-stage planning and enabling works for waves 2 and 3.

The government will appoint the UK’s first maternity and neonatal commissioner and introduce new national standards to improve safety and equity across England’s maternity services. The reforms respond to Baroness Amos’s investigation, which found systemic failures, discrimination and inadequate accountability. A national action plan will be published in December, supported by an additional £41 million for safety improvements and initiatives to reduce inequalities and support midwifery staffing. NHS England and government leaders emphasise the need to rebuild trust, ensure women’s concerns are heard and deliver consistent, safe care for all families.

A government agreement with the British Medical Association ends the resident‑doctor strikes that caused 21 days of disruption since 2025. The deal introduces a reformed pay structure averaging a 35.2 percent increase over four years, improved career‑progression opportunities and reimbursement of mandatory fees. Up to 4,500 additional training places will be created and working conditions for locally employed and part‑time doctors will be enhanced. NHS leaders highlight that the settlement prevents further costly disruption and supports continued reductions in waiting lists. The government also signals continued negotiation on broader NHS staff pay structures and consultant and specialist contracts as part of efforts to modernise and stabilise the health service.

The Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and other stakeholders reviewed the operation of the 2024 VPAG scheme. The accelerated review of payment rates for newer medicines and effects on UK suppliers remains pending, while participants called for clearer interim milestones toward the 2035 life sciences ambitions. Operational updates covered pricing exemptions, portfolio reporting, audits, reference prices and outstanding VPAS reconciliation. The group also reviewed progress on medicines access, health technology assessment, clinical trials and sustainable manufacturing investment, with several actions agreed on industry communications, workforce recommendations, biosimilar data and clearer guidance for companies.