The biggest public conversation about the future of the NHS since its birth has been launched. It calls upon the entire country to share their experiences of our health service and give their views on its future and the 10-Year-Plan for Health.

 

NHS staff are facing an unprecedented number of challenges - record demand for care, growing pressures from an ageing population, rising levels of multiple long-term illnesses and patients with more complex needs. And staff are having to manage this while often using outdated tech, seeing patients in crumbling buildings, and struggling to discharge patients when they’re ready to leave due to pressure in social care - all of which means too many patients are waiting too long for the care they need.

 

So, it is vital the health service innovates and adapts – as it has always done throughout its 76-year history – to design and deliver an NHS fit for the future. The 10-Year Health Plan is a chance to do just that – it will make the best practice, normal practice across England.

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As the recent Lord Darzi review made clear, many of the solutions to the challenges facing the health service can be found in parts of the NHS today. So, alongside the Government, we will be carrying out the largest ever staff engagement exercise in NHS history. We will harness frontline views, alongside those of patients and the public, to ensure we uncover them.

 

The focus for feedback will be on three key shifts. These are big changes to the way health and care services work - that doctors, nurses, patient charities, academics and politicians from all parties broadly agree are necessary to improve health and care services in England:

Shift 1: moving more care from hospitals to communities
Shift 2: making better use of technology in health and care
Shift 3: focusing on preventing sickness, not just treating it

 

It is your experiences – of the good, bad, and sometimes frustrating – that we need to help shape this once in a generation opportunity, so please get involved. 

Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard asks you to have your day on the future of the NHS (BSL)        

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How you can get involved

Share your views in the survey

Whether you have a little to say or a lot, your views, experiences and ideas will shape immediate steps and long-term changes: a new 10-Year Health Plan for the NHS.  This is open to everyone. If you are a member of the public or someone who works in health and care in Somerset, tell us how the NHS needs to change. NHS Somerset is keen to hear your feedback and we will also share your responses with NHS England, as part of the national 10 Year Plan programme. 

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Talk with us in person

If you prefer to talk with someone face to face to share your experiences, views and ideas for the future of the NHS, join us at a drop in event near you.

Kat Tottle, NHS Somerset's Engagement Lead, will be on hand at one of the following locations to listen and answer any questions about the 10 Year Health Plan.

For some of these library engagement sessions, Kat will be joined by Healthwatch Somerset. 

When Where to find us Address Engaged
20 January, 10am - 12pm
Minehead Talking Café
Methodist Church, 31 The Avenue, Minehead, TA24 5AY
28 January, 10:30am - 12pm
Taunton Library Drop-In Session
Paul Street, Taunton, TA1 3XZ
28 January, 2.30pm - 4pm
Burnham Library Drop-In Session
1 Princess Street, Burnham-on-Sea, TA8 1EH
29 January, 10:30am - 12pm
Wiveliscombe Talking Café
Silver Street Centre, Silver Street, Wiveliscombe, TA4 2PA
30 January, 1pm - 2:30pm
Bridgwater Library Drop-In Session
Binford Place, Bridgwater, TA6 3LF
31 January, 10:30am - 12pm
Minehead Library Drop-In Session
Banks Street, Minehead, TA24 5DJ
6 February, 10:30am - 12:30pm
Dulverton Talking Café
Fishers Mead Community Room, 12 Fishers Meads, Dulverton, TA22 9EN
11 February, 1pm - 3pm
Williton Talking Café
Williton Pavilion, Killick Way, Williton, TA4 4QA
12 February, 10am - 12pm
Wincanton Library Drop-In Session
Carrington Way, Wincanton BA9 9JS
13 February, 12pm - 2pm
The Red Brick Building Glastonbury Drop-In Session
Morland Enterprise Park, Morland Rd, Northover, Glastonbury BA6 9FT
14 February, 10am - 12pm
Bruton Library Drop-In Session
Quaperlake Street, Bruton, BA10 0HA
14 February, 1pm - 3pm
Frome Library Drop-In Session
Justice Ln, Frome BA11 1BE

Find out how we're engaging with other groups in the community

Our team is engaging across Somerset with a wide variety of groups. Read our 10 Year Health Plan Engagement Blog -  Find out more here.

The map below shows where we have been travelling across the county engaging with people in Somerset, capturing their experiences, thoughts and ideas about the NHS and healthcare in Somerset.

Conversations with Somerset residents
people reached online through engagement networks
engagement sessions on the 10 Year Health Plan
locations across Somerset
NHS workforce engagement workshops
Somerset 10 Year Health Plan surveys completed

Our 10 Year Health Plan Engagement plans for Somerset 

Change NHS - 10 Year Health Plan Website

We have been working hard to ensure that as many people as possible in Somerset are aware of the national 10 Year Health Plan engagement programme currently underway.

We have been signposting people to our NHS Somerset website and the official Change website, which is an important part of the national and local engagement work, to provide updates, allow people to submit their feedback and to learn about key developments as the programme progresses.

If you would like to read more information about the 10 Year Health Plan, national engagement, subscribe for updates and watch useful videos, please visit the main Change NHS website by clicking here.

Public survey

Whether you have a little to say or a lot, your views, experiences and ideas will shape immediate steps and long-term changes: a new 10-Year Health Plan for the NHS. There is also an opportunity to tell us about a recent experience of health and/or care services in as much or as little detail as you wish. This could be an experience where you or a family member accessed care as a patient. Or it could be about the overall performance of the health and care system. Just click here to get involved.

Survey accessibility

If you would prefer to submit your response in another format, for example a video in British Sign Language (BSL), sharing your responses over the telephone or in a specific text format (for example, with different contrast colours or font sizes, please email Change NHS.

You can also post a response. If you are preparing a written response, please structure your response using the questions in the printable version and post it to the following address:

Thinks Insight and Strategy
Somerset House
London
United Kingdom
WC2R 1LA

Feedback from Somerset's health and care staff

As well as patient and public experience, we are keen to hear about the experiences and thoughts of our local health and care staff.

If you work in health and care in Somerset, you can take part by sharing your views and experiences online (see link to survey above) or get involved in one of the Integrated Care Board (ICB) or Somerset Foundation Trust staff engagement events and activities taking place until the beginning of February. 

Organisational responses

In December 2024, both NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board (ICB) and our health service provider organisations were invited to submit organisational responses to key questions around the three key shifts; hospital to community, analogue to digital and sickness to prevention. Organisations were asked to consider what they would want to see included in the 10-Year Health Plan, challenges and enablers to achieve the three shifts and ideas around policies that would support positive change.

Health and Care Leadership feedback

On 5 December 2024, as part of a the national campaign, individual leaders from health and care organisations were invited to a workshop, to discuss the three shifts and to provide their feedback.

Community engagement

We are working with Healthwatch Somerset, Spark Somerset, who are our VCFSE (voluntary, charity, faith and social enterprise) Lead Organisation and with members of our Somerset Citizens' Hub, to ensure that as many Somerset residents as possible get the opportunity to share their views, thoughts and experiences. We will share our engagement plans with you here, as these develop: Online and in-person engagement workshops will take place in early 2025.

Targeted community engagement

We are engaging with diverse people and communities across Somerset, speaking with communities who are most likely to experience health inequalities, for example those considered under Core20PLUS5. In Somerset, we have committed to ensuring that we hear the voices of people who are in the Armed Forces and Veterans, those who lived in more rural areas of Somerset, children and young people and our voluntary, charity, faith and social enterprise organisations. It is vital that we ensure that everyone's voice is heard.  Find out more here.

Frequently asked Questions