Writing for the social care section of the Gov.uk website, Helen Donovan, Chair of the Self-Care Forum, highlights how the ethos of Self-Care Week aligns with the NHS’s 10-Year Plan, particularly its focus on shifting care from hospitals to the community and from treating illness to preventing it.

In the piece, Helen—who is also a Queen’s Nurse—emphasises that many chronic conditions, such as heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, are preventable through better education, improved access to healthy food, and more opportunities for physical activity.

She argues that self-care isn’t just about individuals making better choices; it’s about creating environments and systems that support those choices, underpinned by a shared responsibility. “Everyone has a role to play,” she says.