Abolishing NHS England: What You Need to Know

The government has confirmed that NHS England will be abolished and brought back under direct control of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). This major change comes after more than a decade of NHS England operating at arm’s length from government, following reforms made in 2012.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, says the move is about reducing bureaucracy, freeing up frontline staff, and giving local NHS leaders more power to make decisions. A transformation team, led by Sir Jim Mackey, will oversee the process, which is expected to take two years.

Key points:

• NHS England will be fully absorbed into the DHSC by 2027.
• Staff numbers across NHS England and DHSC are expected to be cut by 50%, potentially saving around £500 million.
• Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) must cut their running costs by 50% by the end of 2025.
• NHS trusts are being told to reduce their corporate spending back to pre-pandemic levels.

The government has framed the change as the “biggest decentralisation of power in NHS history.” However, what this means for local NHS organisations and services remains unclear. There are concerns about how these cuts and changes will affect capacity, especially at a time when demand for care is rising and funding is tight.

We’ll be following this closely and will update the website with further updates. In the meantime, you can read more about the announcement and what it could mean for local NHS services here.

In response to the government’s announcement that it plans to abolish NHS England, Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of The King’s Fund, had this to say.