When it comes to shaping the future of the NHS, few voices carry as much weight as Professor Ara Darzi. A world-renowned surgeon, researcher, and health policy expert, Darzi has spent years advocating for smarter, more efficient, and patient-centered healthcare. With reports that he is drafting a 10-year plan for the NHS, we might not expect radical surprises—but we can certainly expect a roadmap that builds on what we already know works. So, what might be in it?
For too long, the NHS has operated like a fire brigade—rushing to put out fires rather than stopping them from starting in the first place. Darzi has long championed a shift towards preventative care, and his plan will likely emphasise a system that keeps people well instead of just treating them when they’re sick. This could mean a bigger focus on early disease detection, particularly for conditions like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. It could also mean GP-led preventative health programs, where patients are assessed for risk factors and given personalised lifestyle interventions before problems escalate. Expect to see more government-led public health campaigns tackling obesity, smoking, and alcohol-related illness, alongside stronger community-based health initiatives that address social factors like housing, education, and employment—because good health doesn’t start in hospitals, it starts in homes.
“We need to move from an NHS that has historically been geared towards treating sickness to one that is focused on preventing illness and promoting health.” (Darzi Review, High-Quality Care for All, 2008)
If there’s one area Darzi has been consistently excited about, it’s the potential of artificial intelligence in healthcare. From AI-driven diagnostics that can detect cancer in seconds to virtual GP consultations that reduce waiting times, technology will play a huge role in the NHS of the future. We can expect AI-powered systems to handle a lot of the administrative burden, freeing up doctors and nurses to focus on patient care rather than paperwork. AI-assisted decision-making tools could also help clinicians deliver faster, more accurate treatments, while machine learning algorithms might even be used to predict illnesses before they develop.
Telemedicine and remote patient monitoring will also expand, meaning fewer unnecessary hospital visits and more patients receiving care from the comfort of their homes. In a world where people can order groceries with a tap of their phone, why should they still have to queue up for a 10-minute GP appointment?
Gone are the days of a “one-size-fits-all” approach to medicine. Advances in genomics and precision medicine mean that treatment can now be tailored to an individual’s genetic profile. Darzi’s plan will likely push for wider NHS genomic screening, allowing patients to be assessed for inherited disease risks earlier in life. Pharmacogenomics—where medications are prescribed based on a patient’s genetic response—could also become standard practice, reducing side effects and improving treatment effectiveness. AI-driven data analysis will help identify at-risk patients long before they develop serious conditions, shifting the NHS towards a more proactive model of care rather than a reactive one.
“Technology and artificial intelligence will not replace doctors and nurses, but they will help them to provide better, faster, and safer care.” (Interview with The Guardian, 2018)
One of the biggest shifts in healthcare is happening outside the traditional hospital setting. Darzi has previously backed hospital-at-home models, where patients with chronic conditions or post-surgical recovery needs receive care remotely. His plan could see an expansion of remote patient monitoring, where wearable devices track vital signs in real time, alerting clinicians to potential issues before they become emergencies. Virtual wards, telemedicine follow-ups, and even at-home chemotherapy or dialysis could become more common, reducing the strain on hospitals while keeping patients comfortable in their own environments.
The NHS is already moving towards virtual-first healthcare, and Darzi’s plan could accelerate this change, ensuring that in-person appointments are reserved for those who truly need them while digital solutions handle the rest.
It’s no secret that the NHS is struggling with staff shortages and burnout. Darzi has spoken at length about the need to invest in training, recruitment, and retention strategies. His plan will likely call for more medical school places, better training in digital healthcare, and fast-tracked pathways to bring in new talent. AI-driven workload management could also help reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, ensuring that doctors and nurses spend less time on paperwork and more time with patients.
We may also see international recruitment strategies, making it easier for skilled healthcare professionals to join the NHS from overseas. At the same time, there could be a stronger focus on retention, ensuring that staff are supported, fairly paid, and protected from burnout. A healthy NHS workforce means better care for patients, and Darzi will undoubtedly highlight this as a priority.
One of the biggest challenges facing the NHS isn’t just funding or staffing—it’s bureaucracy. Darzi has previously called for a more streamlined NHS, where administrative inefficiencies don’t get in the way of patient care. His 10-year plan might propose a unified NHS digital records system, ensuring that GPs, hospitals, and social care providers all have access to the same information. This could cut down on duplicated tests, unnecessary referrals, and wasted time.
We could also see greater automation of administrative tasks, reducing the paperwork burden on clinicians. By cutting layers of unnecessary management and improving interoperability between different NHS systems, patient care could become smoother, faster, and more efficient.
Darzi has been vocal about the deep-rooted health inequalities that exist across the UK. His plan will likely push for targeted interventions in deprived areas, ensuring better access to GPs, hospitals, and mental health services. Mental health support, particularly for young people and underserved communities, could also receive a much-needed boost.
AI could play a role here too—by analysing population data, the NHS could identify high-risk groups and intervene before health disparities worsen. A more equitable NHS is a more effective NHS, and Darzi will likely push for policies that ensure no community is left behind.
“Quality of care must be at the heart of everything we do. The NHS should not just be about access to care, but access to the best possible care.” (Speech at The King’s Fund, 2014)
The NHS and social care system have long been at odds, operating in silos rather than as a unified service. Darzi’s plan could propose a closer integration of health and social care, ensuring that elderly and vulnerable patients receive seamless, coordinated support.
This could mean better funding for home care services, reducing the reliance on hospitals for non-medical needs. It could also involve digital care coordination tools, allowing social workers, GPs, and hospital teams to collaborate more effectively. With an ageing population, solving the NHS-social care divide will be critical for the next decade.
While the NHS is built on public funding, Darzi has previously acknowledged that collaborating with the private sector can drive innovation. His plan may propose greater NHS partnerships with biotech firms, AI companies, and pharmaceutical giants to accelerate the adoption of cutting-edge treatments.
This doesn’t mean privatisation—it means leveraging external expertise to make the NHS more efficient. We may also see public-private funding models for research, helping to bring new drugs and treatments to patients faster.
The NHS is one of the UK’s largest carbon emitters, and Darzi’s plan will likely include measures to make it more sustainable. This could mean energy-efficient hospital buildings, electric NHS transport, and reducing medical waste. Sustainable procurement—ensuring NHS suppliers meet environmental standards—could also become a priority.
With climate change posing a growing threat to public health, the NHS must adapt to become not just a healthcare provider, but a climate-conscious organisation.
Darzi’s 10-year NHS plan, when published, will likely focus on technology, efficiency, prevention, and workforce reform. The question isn’t whether these changes are coming—it’s how quickly they can be implemented. The NHS stands at a crossroads, and the next decade will determine whether it can thrive in the face of growing challenges, or continue to struggle under its current pressures.
For GPs, the next decade could bring some of the most significant changes in a generation. With a shift towards prevention, digital healthcare, and AI-driven efficiency, general practice may become less about reactive treatment and more about proactive patient management. Routine consultations for chronic disease management could move online, with AI-powered systems flagging at-risk patients before symptoms even develop. Wearable tech and remote monitoring could reduce the need for frequent in-person visits, freeing up GP time for complex cases. Meanwhile, a fully integrated NHS digital records system could finally eliminate the frustration of siloed patient data, ensuring seamless referrals and better-coordinated care.
However, the pressure on general practice will not disappear overnight. The workforce crisis still looms large, and while AI may ease some administrative burdens, recruitment and retention remain urgent issues. If the NHS can successfully invest in staff training, upskilling, and digital transformation, general practice could emerge stronger, more efficient, and better equipped to meet the needs of a changing population. But without proper support, GPs risk being caught in the middle of an ambitious reform agenda without the resources to deliver it. The next decade could redefine what it means to be a GP—but only if the right investments are made now.