Welcoming a call by The King's Fund for primary and community services to be put at the heart of the health and care system, Saffron Cordery, NHS Providers deputy chief executive, said:

"A clear vision for community and primary care services, backed by a plan for more funding and staffing, is vital.

"NHS services are looking after more people, many with more complex needs, in the community and consistently meet national targets to deliver urgent community response services. But there’s still more to do to ensure a sustainable future and achieve national ambitions to provide more care close to home.

"As this report highlights, care provided in the community is too often overlooked when headlines and political priorities focus on a narrow set of acute-focused targets. But prevention is better than cure and with the right funding and workforce then community, primary and social care can play an essential role.

"We welcome the emphasis on the pivotal role that social care plays in making the vision of more care in the community a reality. The NHS and social care are two sides of the same coin. An NHS fit for the future needs a healthy social care sector alongside it.

"Community and primary care services help people to stay well, manage their conditions and live independently, which is better for patients and can help to ease pressure on the rest of the NHS."