Website of the Department of Health

The National Health Service a service with ambitions

This white paper sets out the (previous) government's ambitions for the future of the NHS. Above all it stresses the importance of achieving a health service which is responsive to the needs and wishes of individual patients. After presenting a series of case studies which illustrate ways in which an ideal health service might respond to a wide range of patient needs, the paper explores the characteristics of this ideal service and identifies five key strategic objectives for the development of the NHS. Some of the challenges which managers and health professionals might face in bringing about the NHS of the future are discussed. The paper then addresses the issue of resources, and outlines the government's role. Finally, the recent policy initiatives for the development of primary care are reviewed, and the paper describes the government's plans to reform three additional areas along the same lines: information and communication, professional development, and service quality.