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Reasons to be optimistic about the future for the NHS
Director, Health and Integrated Care
Blog
22nd December 2025
Zillah Anderson, Director, Health and Integrated Care shares her reasons to be optimistic about the future for the NHS
As we approach the end of another eventful year, it is impossible not to reflect on what has been one of the most challenging periods in the NHS’s history. The pace and scale of change leaders in the NHS have faced in order to deliver sustainable care locally has been compounded by uncertainty around NHS England and ICB restructures; whilst setting up to deliver the NHS 10 year plan and its three strategic shifts: moving care from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from treating sickness to prevention. Leaders have faced relentless pressures: growing complexity of need, workforce shortages, tightening finances, and the ongoing imperative to transform services.
Yet, amidst these challenges, we’ve seen remarkable resilience, creativity, and collaboration across the system. The rise of neighbourhood health models and other operational and digital innovations offer real reasons for optimism about the future of health and care.
In times like these, opportunities for leaders in health and care to come together are more important than ever. It has been a pleasure to support conferences such as NHS Providers Annual Conference, HFMA Annual Conference, and the NHS Confederation ICS Network Conference in the past few weeks, which provide the sector with vital spaces for sharing ideas, learning from each other, and hearing about where systems are delivering real impact.
We’re working alongside our clients to tackle some of their biggest challenges and supporting them to design future models of health and care
Care closer to home in Manchester – Delivering now, building for the future
One standout moment for me was at the NHS Providers Conference, when our clients in Manchester led a powerful session on their programme ‘Care Closer to Home’. The programme has enabled leaders from across health and care (the council, the ICB and Provider) to come together to create a strong vision for UEC transformation, delivering both immediate priorities and enabling long-term ‘left shift’ ambitions.
Delivered in a true partnership style, this work is already making a tangible impact on residents – bringing care closer to where people live and retain independence as long as possible, whilst creating financial headroom for future transformation and sustainability. For those who missed the session, the online recording is well worth a listen.
Navigating the challenges in delivering genuine integration of care
Our clients from North East Essex also shared their fantastic progress in practically navigating the challenges of delivering on the ambition for Neighbourhood Health through accelerating the launch and impact of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams. By harnessing health and social care data, they’ve identified that just 5% of residents account for c. 50% of cost-weighted health and social care activity in the area. In response, INTs are being established to ensure every unmet needs for these individuals is addressed reducing the need for care in acute and residential settings.
Through putting the individual’s needs at the centre, this work is a powerful demonstration of what is possible when organisations work together with a clear purpose and commitment to change.
It has been a privilege to work in the sector this year, and meeting so many dedicated teams and individuals has reminded me why there are so many reasons to be optimistic about the future of our public services. I’m excited about the year ahead and look forward to continuing to support the health and care system to achieve improved outcomes for individuals, better experiences for staff, and a more financially sustainable future.