Help build a health service fit for the future in Devon

The NHS in Devon has launched local engagement around the 10 Year Health Plan, which will run in parallel with, and support, the national Change NHS campaign.

Between November 2024 and 28 February 2025 members of the public and patients in Devon, as well as NHS staff and healthcare experts, are being invited to share their experiences, views and ideas for improving the NHS. 

People are being encouraged to fill in the local survey even if they have already completed the national one. This is to ensure that insights from local people can be used to improve local services.

Dr Alex Degan, Medical Director for Primary Care at NHS Devon, said: “Alongside the biggest national conversation about the future of the NHS since it began, local people in Devon are being called upon to share their experiences of our health service to help shape the government’s 10 Year Health Plan and local NHS improvement programmes in Devon.” 

There is a dedicated webpage, which includes further information about how people can get involved and a link to the Devon survey. It will also include details about engagement events across the county and online.

The local and national public engagement exercises will help shape the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, which will be published in spring 2025 and will be underlined by three big shifts in healthcare:

• hospital to community
• analogue to digital
• sickness to prevention 

Dr Degan continued: “Too many patients are waiting too long for the care they need and we must do better. NHS staff are facing an unprecedented number of challenges and are having to manage while often using outdated technology, seeing patients in aging buildings, and struggling to discharge patients when they’re ready to leave due to pressure in social care – all of which means patients are not getting the service they deserve.

“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 Devon engagement will be supported by Healthwatch Devon, Plymouth and Torbay and voluntary organisations in Devon. For people who are unable to submit their feedback online, Healthwatch Devon, Plymouth and Torbay is offering to collate feedback over the phone. People can access this support by calling 0800 520 0640.

Dr Kevin Dixon, Chair of Healthwatch Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, said: “Healthwatch are really pleased to have supported the development of this engagement programme for Devon. We are excited to be collaborating with NHS Devon on such an important conversation and we want to encourage the Devon population to get involved in this engagement programme and have their voice heard as part of the national 10-year health plan development.”

As part of the engagement, the Government and NHS Devon are also keen to hear from people who work in the NHS and in social care about their experiences.

Dr Degan added: “There is no NHS without the people who work in it, so we are asking staff to help us in our mission to build an NHS fit for the future.”

Patients, the public and staff can get involved in two ways:

• Submit ideas and feedback through a survey specifically for health and care staff on the Devon webpage.
• Join events taking place across the county and online. These will be focussed on the three big shifts in healthcare to make the NHS fit for the future – moving it from analogue to digital, hospital to community, and sickness to prevention.

Information about all the opportunities for patients, staff and the public to get involved is available on the webpage and will continue to be updated over the coming months.

Dr Degan concluded: “Whether you have a little to say or a lot, your views, experiences and ideas will shape immediate steps and long-term changes for the NHS.

“This is a once in a generation opportunity to make the NHS fit for the future and we need your views.”