Welcome to this month’s edition of Casebook. In this issue, we highlight the renewed Women’s Health Strategy and new measures to widen access to healthcare careers, alongside investment in community diagnostic centres. We also cover enhanced health support for firefighters and new analysis on the shift towards neighbourhood-based care.
Elsewhere, we explore ongoing challenges in palliative and end of life care, and new research from Age UK on how early experiences of physical activity continue to shape health in later life.
Together, these updates reflect key policy developments, workforce priorities and wider influences on health and care. Read on to find out more.
Expansion Of Community Diagnostic Centres
Patients across England are set to benefit from quicker access to tests, checks and scans closer to home following a £237 million government investment in community diagnostic centres (CDCs).
The funding will support the development of 36 centres, including the opening of four new CDCs and improvements to a further 32 existing sites. Of these, 17 centres will be physically expanded, while 15 will receive targeted enhancements to increase capacity and broaden the range of services available.
The new centres are planned for Gorton (Manchester), Luton, Boston and Bideford, with delivery expected across 2026 and 2027. Expansion and enhancement works at existing centres will include additional clinical rooms, upgraded diagnostic equipment such as MRI, CT and ultrasound scanners, and the introduction of additional services including audiology, ophthalmology and respiratory care.
Community diagnostic centres are designed to provide a wide range of tests in local settings such as high streets, shopping centres and leisure facilities. Many operate extended hours, with over 100 centres currently open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are currently 170 CDCs in operation across England. The latest investment is intended to increase diagnostic capacity, support earlier diagnosis and reduce the need for patients to travel to hospital for routine tests.
In 2025, the NHS in England carried out a record 29 million diagnostic tests. The expansion of CDCs is expected to build on this capacity, with some of the upgrades beginning to benefit patients from 2026 onwards.
Further information and a breakdown of the CDC locations can be found here.
Renewed Women’s Health Strategy Published
The Department of Health and Social Care has published the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England, setting out a comprehensive plan to improve health outcomes, experiences and access to care for women and girls across the country.
The strategy highlights ongoing challenges within the health system, including declining health outcomes, long waiting times in services such as gynaecology, and persistent inequalities between different groups of women. It notes that women spend a greater proportion of their lives in poor health than men, and that outcomes vary significantly depending on factors such as income and ethnicity.
A central focus of the strategy is improving how the health system responds to women’s needs. It sets out actions to strengthen patient voice and choice, including new approaches to collecting patient feedback, improving access to contraception and reproductive health services, and ensuring women are better informed and involved in decisions about their care.
The strategy also outlines plans to improve NHS performance in areas that particularly affect women, such as menstrual health, menopause, maternity care and conditions like endometriosis. This includes reducing waiting times, expanding services in community settings, and increasing the use of digital tools to support access and management of care.
Alongside this, there is a strong emphasis on prevention and supporting women to live healthier lives. Measures include improving screening and early diagnosis, addressing major risk factors such as cardiovascular disease and obesity, and expanding access to vaccinations and diagnostic services.
The strategy also commits to strengthening research and innovation in women’s health, including improving representation in clinical research and supporting the development of new technologies and treatments tailored to women’s needs.
Read the strategy document here.
New Support Package To Open Up Healthcare Careers
Thousands of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds will be supported into healthcare careers under a new government package aimed at widening access and tackling inequality.
The measures include 2,000 additional nursing apprenticeships in areas with the greatest need, alongside support for a further 2,000 students from deprived communities to apply to medical school through funded access programmes. The government has also committed to increasing the proportion of medical students who received free school meals by 50% over the next decade.
The package forms part of the government’s wider 10 Year Health Plan and includes expanded training opportunities, targeted investment, and initiatives designed to remove barriers to entry into healthcare professions.
New Health Support Announced for Firefighters
Firefighters across England will benefit from enhanced health and wellbeing support under a new government initiative aimed at improving prevention, monitoring and long-term care.
The government has announced a Firefighters Concordat on Health and Wellbeing, developed in partnership with the sector, which will introduce regular health checks for all firefighters and strengthen access to tailored support during and after service.
The package also includes new funding for research into the long-term health risks associated with firefighting, including mental health, cancer, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal conditions, with a focus on improving understanding and support across the profession.
The measures form part of wider efforts to improve workforce health and ensure firefighters receive consistent, evidence-based support throughout their careers and beyond.
Neighbourhood Health Framework: Progress And Questions Remain
A new analysis from the Nuffield Trust examines the recently published neighbourhood health framework, which aims to support the shift of care from hospitals into community settings as set out in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.
The framework is seen as an attempt to provide greater clarity on how this shift will be delivered. It outlines a broader vision for neighbourhood-based care, including improved access, patient experience and outcomes, as well as a stated commitment to greater local flexibility in how services are designed and delivered.
However, the analysis highlights a number of challenges. These include the scale and complexity of the ambitions set out, with multiple objectives and limited prioritisation, alongside ongoing system pressures such as workforce shortages, financial constraints and wider NHS reorganisation. Questions are also raised about the practicalities of moving staff into community settings and whether sufficient workforce planning is in place.
There are also areas where the framework lacks clarity, including how performance will be measured, who is accountable for delivery, and how key targets - such as reducing outpatient referrals - will operate in practice. The role of integrated health organisations and the potential influence of acute providers are also identified as areas of uncertainty.
Overall, the analysis suggests the framework reinforces a clear direction of travel towards more community-based care, but that significant questions remain around implementation, resourcing and delivery.
Read the full Nuffield Trust analysis here.
MPs Call For Improvements To Palliative Care Services
A new report from the Health and Social Care Committee has highlighted significant challenges in England’s palliative and end of life care system, including concerns about services for children and young people.
The Committee is urging the government to ensure its forthcoming reforms, including a planned Modern Service Framework, deliver meaningful and lasting improvements. Key recommendations include maintaining clear standards for children’s palliative care, ensuring 24/7 service availability nationwide, and strengthening the specialist workforce.
The report draws on evidence from the Committee’s Independent Expert Panel, which identified issues including workforce shortages, fragmented services, and difficulties for patients and families navigating care. It also highlights the impact of wider pressures in social care and variation in service provision across different areas.
The Committee emphasises the need for improved coordination, better data and earlier identification of patient needs, alongside closer working between health services, social care and local authorities.
Overall, the findings underline ongoing concerns about consistency and capacity within palliative care services, ahead of the government’s planned reforms.
Read the full report here.
School PE Still Shaping Midlife Health, Study Finds
New research from Age UK highlights how negative experiences of school PE are continuing to shape attitudes towards physical activity decades later. The findings suggest that millions of people aged 50–65 remain reluctant to engage in exercise, with many recalling feelings of embarrassment, exclusion or low confidence from their school years.
According to the research, nearly half of mid-lifers once dreaded PE lessons, with millions reporting they have been put off sport or exercise for life as a result. This has ongoing implications for both physical and mental health, particularly as regular activity is key to maintaining wellbeing and independence in later life.
In response, Age UK has launched its Act Now, Age Better campaign, bringing together over 50 national sporting organisations to promote more inclusive, accessible and age-appropriate opportunities to get active. The campaign aims to help midlife adults overcome psychological barriers, rebuild confidence, and engage in movement in ways that support long-term health and social connection.
Find out more about the campaign here.