Keir Starmer announced on Thursday that he will be abolishing NHS England over the next two years.
That does not mean the NHS itself is being scrapped – the health service in England will remain in place as it is.
NHS England is an executive, non-departmental public body which operates independently of government to oversee the day-to-day operation and commissioning of the NHS.
The PM’s announcement means any responsibilities NHS England have will be brought back under ministerial control.
Plenty of people on social media did point out that the government’s messaging around the news was not exactly clear, however.
Ministers hope that by shutting down the organisation – which they’ve called “the biggest quango in the world” – it will free up funds for the NHS, increase accountability, cut down on government waste and reduce red tape in the health service.
This change is also meant to deliver more value for money, help shift analogue systems to digital, “sickness to prevention and hospital to community”, according to the transitional chief executive of NHS England, James Mackey.
Labour’s announcement comes as ministers hunt for savings while Rachel Reeves squeezes the public purse.
The body, set up by the Tory-Liberal Democrat coalition in 2012, will be absorbed back into the Department for Health and Social Care.
It also comes after Lord Darzi’s recent independent investigation into the health service found it is still struggling to adapt to such changes – like the creation of NHS England – which brought in 13 years ago.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said the decision was the “final nail in the coffin of the disastrous 2012 reorganisation, which led to the longest waiting times, lowest patient satisfaction, and most expensive NHS in history”.
Streeting already oversaw plans to cut NHS England in half by the end of March, but has now clearly gone even further.
He also noted that 10,000 roles will be scrapped so there is less duplication between his department and NHS England.
The cabinet minister said: “When money is so tight, we can’t justify such a complex bureaucracy with two organisations doing the same jobs. We need more doers, and fewer checkers, which is why I’m devolving resources and responsibilities to the NHS frontline.”
