Creative health and the 10-Year Workforce Plan

We are pleased to share that the National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH) has formally submitted evidence to the 10 Year Workforce Plan call for evidence.

Our submission draws on national learning, system partnerships, and evidence from across our Creative Health Associates Programme, the Creative Health Champions Network, the Mobilising Community Assets programme, and wider sector collaborations. Together, these insights demonstrate how creative health can play a vital role in prevention, community-centred care, digital transformation, workforce wellbeing, and stronger cross-sector collaboration over the next decade.

Below, you will find short summaries of each section of our submission, followed by links to the full documents.

Section 1 | The Three Shifts: Prevention, Community, and Digital Care

In Section 1, the consultation for the 10 Year Workforce Plan asks where we have delivered or observed new digital initiatives that improved patient care; where we have already seen or begun to deliver a shift from hospital-based to community care; where preventative care services are already emerging; which professions, roles and skills were critical to these examples; and what barriers existed to involving the right workforce, including how these were overcome. In our answer we explained: 

• Creative health is already delivering the three system shifts with measurable impacts on patient outcomes and demand reduction.
• Digital creative health (VR, biofeedback, creative apps, data dashboards) is improving access, enabling safe data-sharing, and increasing the scalability of effective interventions.
• Community-based and neighbourhood models embedding creative health are reducing pressure on GPs, improving health literacy, and widening access for underserved groups.
• Prevention examples span early years, chronic conditions, respiratory health, mental health, ageing and dementia – showing strong economic, clinical and wellbeing outcomes.

>> See our full submission for Section 1 here 

Section 2 | Modelling Assumptions and Workforce Supply

In Section 2, the consultation asks for the specific assumptions we use in workforce modelling – including how service redesign, such as new community services or digital models of care, might affect workforce numbers, deployment and skill mix – and how these shifts are likely to impact workforce supply and demand, including future career and training pathways. In our answer we stated that:

• Workforce modelling must assume a more diverse skill mix that includes creative practitioners, cultural leaders, evaluators, digital specialists, and community connectors.
• Creative health enables prevention savings, reduces service escalation, and supports a more sustainable distribution of clinical workload.
• Fair pay, cross-departmental co-investment (DCMS/DHSC/MHCLG), and digital impact-tracking are essential to future workforce planning.
• Embedding creative health in pre- and post-registration training strengthens whole-person care and supports workforce wellbeing, retention, and new career pathways.

>> See our full submission for Section 2 here

Section 3 | Productivity Gains and Closing Training Gaps

In Section 3, the consultation asks for evidence of the top digital initiatives – across the NHS, other sectors or internationally – that have successfully increased workforce productivity or reduced demand; the actions taken to identify and address training gaps (pre- or post-registration) that support delivery of the three shifts; the policies or initiatives that have enabled the NHS to play a bigger role in local communities; and examples of how changing expectations around patient participation have been managed through digital tools, including where workforce planning or training has been adapted to reflect this. In our response we said:

• Digital creative health and social prescribing tools have demonstrated reductions in clinical time, GP appointments, A&E attendances, administrative burden, and specialist workforce demand.
• NCCH plays a national leadership role in identifying and addressing training gaps by working with SIGs, ICBs, public health teams, universities and CHWA to build capability across the sector.
• National events, toolkits, education mapping, and the Mobilising Community Assets Programme collectively strengthen readiness for the three shifts at system level.
• Policy has supported developments through greater focus on personalised care, population health management, VCSE partnerships, the value of culture to health, and creative health strategy. 

 >> See our full submission for Section 3 here

 Section 4 | Culture, Values, and Leadership in Creative Health

Finally, in Section 4, the consultation asks for policy interventions that have directly improved workforce and patient outcomes; approaches that have successfully embedded strong core values into everyday leadership, decision-making and service delivery; and the systems or practices that ensure leaders at all levels actively listen to staff feedback – particularly from underrepresented groups – and act on it. We said that:

• Creative health approaches embed values such as dignity, co-production, trauma-informed practice, inclusion, and whole-person care – strengthening leadership culture across health systems.
• A range of policy documents that support creative health integration have already begun to improve opportunities around workforce wellbeing, retention, and patient experience.
• Creative facilitation, lived experience panels, and arts-based learning sets are powerful mechanisms for gathering staff insight – especially from underrepresented groups – and translating feedback into action.
• Staff-led creative initiatives such as Our National Health Stories improve wellbeing, strengthen organisational culture, and enhance trust within teams. 

>> See our full submission for Section 4 here

Final Thoughts

As the NHS looks ahead to the next decade, creative health has a powerful role to play in shaping a workforce that is resilient, community-centred and equipped for a more creative future. We invite you to explore each section of our submission at your own pace, draw on the insights that resonate most with your work, and consider how these ideas might support your own developments relating to the 10 Year Plan. Together, we can help build a health and care system where creativity is recognised as core infrastructure, improving outcomes for patients, staff and communities alike.