Supporting older people's health in 2026

Last year, the Government published its 10 Year Health Plan, which committed to achieving 3 shifts in how the NHS operates.

These 3 shifts consist of placing a major focus on prevention rather than sickness; moving care from hospitals into communities; and making better use of technology.

As 2026 unfolds, more information will become available about what these shifts will look like, and how they might be delivered and implemented. We’ve outlined some of the upcoming developments to look out for this year, and how they may impact older people.

Frailty and prevention

Firstly, the NHS’ National Frailty Improvement Collaborative will roll out in seven sites across England, with the aim of testing and scaling improvements in care for those living with frailty.

The aim of these collaboratives is to work locally with Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs) and other place-based services to:

• Test and learn how to implement evidence-based frailty care
• Learn how to shift care from hospital to community settings
• Generate evidence and insights to inform national policy and planning guidance

Currently, frailty care is uneven and often not proactive or personalised, so the learnings from these sites could prove transformational – highlighting the need for early identification, effective care planning and multi-professional practice in ongoing care and support.

In tandem with the frailty collaboratives there are also several Modern Service Frameworks under development – and the most significant for older people will be the frailty and dementia framework. These Modern Service Frameworks aim to embed high standards of care, reduce variation and narrow inequality. They will set out clear national standards and push local NHS services to improve and coordinate better. Although still in early stages at the moment, more information and clarity on what these will look like is expected later this year.

Neighbourhood health and community care

The Government have also committed to embedding more care in the community through a Neighbourhood Health programme, which proposes the creation of 250 neighbourhood health centres across the country.

The underlying principle of the programme is that multi-professional health teams can work with other local services, including councils and the voluntary sector, to support people to manage their health closer to home. For older people, the goal would be to stay independent for longer, maintain good wellbeing, and avoid crisis care.

43 ‘neighbourhoods’ were selected over the summer last year as pioneers for the concept. These were in areas with high deprivation, reflecting the programme’s overarching goal to help address inequality. People with complex needs and long-term conditions – a group that will largely be made up of older people – were identified as the priority group to support in the initial phases. More details around the delivery of a neighbourhood health service are expected soon.

Digital health

One of the key shifts of the 10 Year Health Plan is to make better use of technology across the health system. Increasingly, health services are using digital technology to communicate with their patients, organise appointments, medications and much more, but there will also be a major change – with a push for the NHS App to provide a “front door” to NHS health and treatment.

There’s also already been an announcement about a ‘NHS Online’ launching in 2027. The aim of the service is to connect people with specialists across the country through the NHS App, including by self-referral. It will focus on some specific conditions in the first phase, with the aim of accelerating the reduction in waiting lists.

This push to digital will work for some people but it's important to remember that while some older people will feel comfortable with this shift, others will not. Many older people may need additional support to use new digital platforms, or may not have an up-to-date device or any device at all. At Age UK we believe that everyone should have fair and equal access to services, and this should be remembered in this shift to digital.

But there is support available. Some of our local Age UK partners run digital champion programmes which help older people to improve their digital skills across the board, but there are specific programmes on health and the NHS App.

How to help

This year, the 10 Year Health Plan will begin to translate into changes for older people’s health and care – but we’ve still got a while to go. While these shifts offer significant opportunities to improve outcomes for older people, their success will depend on how well they are implemented locally and how effectively they respond to the diverse needs, circumstances and preferences of older populations.

Healthcare professionals have a crucial role to play in ensuring these changes deliver meaningful benefits. In 2026, this includes prioritising early identification of frailty and embedding proactive, personalised care; working closely with VCSE organisations and community partners to support holistic care outside hospital settings; and helping shape neighbourhood health services so they are accessible, coordinated and responsive to older people with complex needs. As digital health becomes increasingly central to accessing care, professionals can also support older people by identifying those at risk of digital exclusion, offering alternatives where needed, and signposting to local support such as digital champion programmes.

By combining system-wide reforms with compassionate, inclusive practice on the ground, healthcare professionals can help ensure that the changes ahead genuinely improve health, reduce inequalities and support older people to live well in 2026 and beyond.