Five year NHS strategy to set out preferred 'care models'

The organisation published an overview of its work on the strategy, which will be called the “NHS Five Year Forward View” or the “5YFV”, on Friday.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens is likely to use it to set out many of his main proposals for the service. It is expected to be highly influential.

While the overview described a very broad ranging project, it said the work will deliver “a range of care models that could deliver transformation”.

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It will also identify “the actions required at the local and national level to support delivery” and “priority areas for targeting transformation, identifying what needs to happen to support delivery” and “actions that we can take nationally to create the conditions for local action”.

The document will draw on the five year strategic plans that have been developed by clinical commissioning groups and NHS providers in recent months, although its recommendations are also likely to influence the next round of local planning.

The “forward view” is expected to set out the future prospects for NHS finances, including the potential consequences of not increasing its budget.

This may put pressure on political leaders to commit to additional funding or other changes which could help make the service sustainable.

It is expected to be published in October.

The overview said the work will deliver “a shared understanding of the extent and nature of the gap between where we are and where we need to be including the ‘financial’ context for both demand and supply, the ‘health’ opportunity and the ‘care’ opportunity. Transformation requires all three to be addressed”.

It said: “The NHS and social care system is not short of reports or evidence.

“Therefore, in the majority of areas we will not be commissioning new work, and instead will examine [existing] research for review and challenge.”

The “forward view” is being led by NHS England but is expected to be presented as joint work with other national NHS organisations.