Continence is an important component in a person’s health and well-being at any stage of life. Early assessment by an appropriately trained professional allows a patient centred care pathway to be followed.

The Renewed Women's Health Strategy for England, published in April 2026, recognises that these conditions are often normalised by women and girls themselves and by wider society, with many women viewing symptoms such as leaking as an inevitable part of pregnancy, childbirth, ageing or the menopause. It also recognises that many women feel too embarrassed to seek support, which can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment. The Women’s Health Strategy is not condition specific, instead it focuses on systemic changes including redesigning services, improving diagnosis, and embedding women and girls’ voices so that care improves across all conditions. It sets out how the Government will make women and girls’ voices and choices central in healthcare, transform National Health Service performance in services that matter most to women, support all women to live healthy, prosperous lives and create an approach to research and development that works for and empowers women.

The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs to develop the fourth National Adaptation Programme which will set out the Government’s strategy to adapt to the impacts of the changing climate. Ongoing action includes the Adverse Weather and Health Plan that provides guidance to reduce the health impacts of heat, £6.75 billion committed over nine years to address the most critical National Health Service infrastructure risks, including to cooling and ventilation, and requiring all New Hospital Programme projects compliant with hospital 2.0 from 2025 and new build neighbourhood health centres to include climate resilience in their design from the outset.

The Government is advised on all screening matters by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which is made up of leading medical and screening experts.

The UK NSC considered newborn screening for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), undertaking a review and a three-month consultation on those findings which closed on 5 August 2025. At the November 2025 UK NSC meeting, committee members concluded that there was not enough evidence to support newborn screening for MLD. Further information on the meeting is available at the following link:

https://nationalscreening.blog.gov.uk/2026/01/08/minutes-published-of-uk-nsc-november-2025-meeting/

However, members agreed that MLD would be a good candidate for inclusion in a multi-condition in-service evaluation within the United Kingdom newborn blood spot screening programme.

The Department is currently considering what would be needed to introduce such an evaluation.

The Department and NHS England continue to work with cancer stakeholders on the implementation of the National Cancer Plan and will discuss the development of cancer manuals with relevant stakeholders.

As set out in our National Cancer Plan, the first wave of manuals will include an equal balance of rare cancers, where survival has been slowest, and the most common cancers. It is in the combination of both points that we will maximise progress against our ambition to reduce disparities in cancer survival.

The Department recognises the issue of children’s screen use and social media exposure, and the role National Health Service professionals can play.

Screen use guidance forms a core part of the Government’s response to online harms, complementing regulatory action by providing clear, practical advice to parents on supporting safe, balanced, and developmentally appropriate use of digital technologies.

On 27 March 2026, the Government published advice for parents and carers on screen use for children aged zero to five years old on the Best Start in Life website, at the following link:

https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/screen-time-under-5s

This advice offers practical, non-judgemental support to help families balance screen use with other activities. The Children of the 2020s study found that children with the highest screen use at age two, around five hours daily, can say significantly fewer words than those with lower use, although this does not necessarily mean that one causes the other. We are taking a precautionary approach to screen use for younger children, especially where screen time may be replacing activities like moving, sleeping, and playing, which are all important for children’s health and development.

Building on the guidance for zero to five year olds, the Department of Health and Social Care is now working closely with the Department for Education to develop further parent and carer facing guidance for five to 16-year-olds to promote safe and healthy engagement with the digital world. Following the closure of our call for evidence on 29 June, we are reviewing the evidence received to inform the guidance, due to be published this autumn. This work is also being informed by an independent Expert Advisory Group, co-chaired by Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza and Professor Russell Viner.

The Department of Health and Social Care is also working closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on the Government’s media literacy action plan, and we will explore how we can distribute useful information about screen use and social media to relevant clinical and public health networks.

The NHS does not currently have a specific requirement for NHS clinicians to routinely ask about children’s screen use or social media exposure. Clinicians, including speech and language therapists, take a holistic developmental history, considering a range of environmental factors where clinically relevant in order to determine a course of treatment. Clinicians are expected to draw on existing evidence, professional training, and clinical judgement in the assessment of healthcare needs.

Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services by 2030, and outlines our vision for a more devolved health service.

We are acting across the whole pathway of fracture prevention. This includes improving access to diagnosis, supporting the adoption of effective treatments, and encouraging local systems to develop services that identify people at the highest risk of future fractures and intervene early.

We want integrated care boards (ICBs) to shape services for their localities, and we have set expectations that ICBs will prioritise community-based models when commissioning new services.

The Government acknowledges the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it can have on their lives, relationships, education, and participation in the workforce. We also recognise the importance of ensuring healthcare professionals are appropriately trained and informed about women’s health conditions, including endometriosis.

The General Medical Council has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment to encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom. The content for this assessment includes topics relating to women’s health, including endometriosis.

Women’s health is also included within the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) curriculum for trainee general practitioners (GPs), including gynaecology, sexual health, and breast health. The curriculum also covers the health care needs of women across all diseases seen in primary care as it is important women are treated holistically. This ensures that all future GPs receive education on women’s health.

The RCGP has also published a Women’s Health Library which brings together educational resources and guidance on women’s health from the RCGP, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, supporting healthcare professionals to provide up-to-date care for their patients. The RCGP has worked with partners, including Endometriosis UK, to develop educational resources relating to endometriosis to support GPs and other healthcare professionals to deliver the best possible care for women, based on the latest evidence.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has developed a women’s and reproductive health topic suite, and updated guidelines on endometriosis in 2024 to make firmer recommendations for healthcare professionals on referral and investigations for women with a suspected diagnosis. These clinical guidelines support healthcare professionals in providing care for women with endometriosis.

Generally, employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver appropriate treatment for patients.

On 10 July, we launched a United Kingdom-wide consultation on new proposals to restrict tobacco, vape, and nicotine product packaging, flavour descriptors, device appearance, and changing where and how vapes and nicotine products are displayed in shops. Enforcement authorities will be able to take proportionate enforcement action against non-compliance with future regulations made under the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026.

A future retail licensing scheme for tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products will strengthen enforcement and support law-abiding retailers, while tackling those who break the law. Those found to be in breach of a condition of their licence, or other statutory requirements, could face potential licence revocation. Whilst the specific grounds on which a licence may be granted, suspended, revoked, or varied will be subject to consultation, we want to ensure retailers are operating responsibly and in line with legal requirements.

We intend to consult on our proposals for a retail licensing scheme for tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products in 2027.

Supporting people to achieve and maintain weight loss over the long term is a core principle of National Health Service weight management services. National, integrated care board, and local authority commissioned services combine behavioural support, healthier eating, physical activity, and relapse prevention to help people sustain weight loss and improve their long-term health.

Nationally commissioned services, such as the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme and the suite of Healthier You programmes, such as the NHS Behavioural Support for Obesity Prescribing, the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, and the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission, all place a strong emphasis on supporting long term weight maintenance. These services are designed not only to help people achieve and sustain weight loss and a healthy weight, but also to prevent, improve, or manage obesity related long-term conditions, including reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and supporting remission for those already living with the condition.

The NHS continues to evaluate and develop its weight management services to ensure they reflect the latest clinical evidence and support people to achieve sustainable improvements in their health and reduce future demand on NHS services.

NHS England has established the National Obesity Audit (NOA) to improve understanding of weight management services across England. The audit analyses data collected from hospitals, community settings, and general practices on weight management services and interventions commissioned, or funded, by local authorities and the National Health Service. The NOA currently publishes information on specialist weight management services and bariatric surgery and is continuing to work towards a comprehensive picture of obesity care, including service access, outcomes, and inequalities, to support service improvement and development.

The Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) website moved over to the GOV.UK platform on 25 June 2026. The FSA’s information page on the fortification of flour with folic acid is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/folic-acid/folic-acid

The resource for transforming liver services sits with integrated care boards, who will consider local need and the actions to progress alongside other clinical priorities.

The national team’s role has been to bring together relevant stakeholders to co-ordinate, influence and share learning to support local transformation.

NHS England has identified Clinical and Programme oversight resource to be active during reorganisation, with a lead programme management resource to support prioritised national workstreams.

The programme to date has prioritised reviews of the differential impact of liver disease in relation to health inequalities and deprivation. Examples include evidence of liver-related premature mortality being 4.8 times higher in the most deprived areas, 86% of liver disease deaths, which have increased by 400% since 1970, being related to alcohol harms, South Asian communities being at a higher risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and cirrhosis, and type 2 diabetes and MASLD disproportionately affecting the most deprived communities.

The transformation of the liver services programme includes a number of workstreams including awareness, early identification, and treatment of liver disease, and these will benefit people in these communities. Geographically specific data is available to local commissioners to assist them with focusing their work on deprivation and inequalities, to support their prioritisation.

The resource for transforming liver services sits with integrated care boards, who will consider local need and the actions to progress alongside other clinical priorities.

The national team’s role has been to bring together relevant stakeholders to co-ordinate, influence and share learning to support local transformation.

NHS England has identified Clinical and Programme oversight resource to be active during reorganisation, with a lead programme management resource to support prioritised national workstreams.

The programme to date has prioritised reviews of the differential impact of liver disease in relation to health inequalities and deprivation. Examples include evidence of liver-related premature mortality being 4.8 times higher in the most deprived areas, 86% of liver disease deaths, which have increased by 400% since 1970, being related to alcohol harms, South Asian communities being at a higher risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and cirrhosis, and type 2 diabetes and MASLD disproportionately affecting the most deprived communities.

The transformation of the liver services programme includes a number of workstreams including awareness, early identification, and treatment of liver disease, and these will benefit people in these communities. Geographically specific data is available to local commissioners to assist them with focusing their work on deprivation and inequalities, to support their prioritisation.

The resource for transforming liver services sits with integrated care boards, who will consider local need and the actions to progress alongside other clinical priorities.

The national team’s role has been to bring together relevant stakeholders to co-ordinate, influence and share learning to support local transformation.

NHS England has identified Clinical and Programme oversight resource to be active during reorganisation, with a lead programme management resource to support prioritised national workstreams.

The programme to date has prioritised reviews of the differential impact of liver disease in relation to health inequalities and deprivation. Examples include evidence of liver-related premature mortality being 4.8 times higher in the most deprived areas, 86% of liver disease deaths, which have increased by 400% since 1970, being related to alcohol harms, South Asian communities being at a higher risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and cirrhosis, and type 2 diabetes and MASLD disproportionately affecting the most deprived communities.

The transformation of the liver services programme includes a number of workstreams including awareness, early identification, and treatment of liver disease, and these will benefit people in these communities. Geographically specific data is available to local commissioners to assist them with focusing their work on deprivation and inequalities, to support their prioritisation.

We plan to publish guidance on the Tobacco and Vapes Act shortly which will give significant time for retailers to understand and prepare for their obligations.

The Department has been engaging with representative bodies, including the Association of Convenience Stores and the British Retail Consortium, and will continue to engage with them on this matter.

To enable faster diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and earlier access to treatment, access to spirometry tests in community diagnostic centres is growing and will continue to do so as more sites come online.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a key intervention to improve the health of people with COPD. NHS England has published commissioning standards for pulmonary rehabilitation and COPD, setting out the benchmarks for high-quality services. This includes reducing health inequalities and ensuring equitable access.

In addition, smoking is the number one preventable cause of COPD. The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Act will help deliver our ambition for a smoke-free United Kingdom.

A cross-Government collaboration, which includes the National Health Service and the Department, produces an annual Adverse Weather and Health Plan that incorporates heatwave preparedness measures. Services are expected to be prepared for periods of hot weather from 1 June to mid-September each year.

The NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme is designed to detect lung cancer at an earlier stage in people at high risk of developing the disease.

The Government is advised on all screening matters by the independent UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). At its most recent review in June 2022, the UK NSC recommended targeted lung cancer screening for people aged 55 to 74 years old who are at high risk of developing lung cancer. The modelling that informed this recommendation did not include chronic respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

NHS England has introduced a national Incidental Findings Protocol to ensure clinically significant incidental findings are referred for appropriate investigation and follow-up through established National Health Service pathways.

In April 2026, the UK NSC concluded a three-month public consultation on screening for COPD. The outcome of this consultation will be published in due course. In addition, the UK NSC's annual open call for new evidence and proposals for screening programmes is currently open until 30 September 2026, providing an opportunity for individuals and organisations to submit proposals supported by evidence.

NHS Devon Integrated Care Board developed a variation of the women’s health hub model, focused on virtual and system-wide provision for local women. More information about this is available on the One Devon website at the following link:

https://onedevon.org.uk/our-work/services-and-support/womens-health-strategy/

The Devon Women’s Health Hubs project has two main priorities:

• developing a range of virtual services along the menopause pathway, to ensure women receive the right advice and guidance at the point of care; and

• enhancing provision of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception, for both contraceptive and non-contraceptive reasons such as heavy menstrual bleeding.

While Devon does not yet have a physical hub, the long-term ambition remains to work towards establishing one in the South West. This will include exploring how neighbourhood and place-based settings could support its development.

A cross-Government collaboration, which includes the National Health Service and the Department, produces an annual Adverse Weather and Health Plan that incorporates heatwave preparedness measures. Services are expected to be prepared for periods of hot weather from 1 June to mid-September each year

NHS England recognises that extreme heat is now predicted to be a routine seasonal risk, rather than an exceptional event, and is committed to sharing key learnings from the recent period of hot weather to help further mitigate against any challenges.