Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed plans to abolish the “arms-length body” NHS England.
But what is the quango – and why is the prime minister scrapping it?
What is NHS England and how does it work?
NHS England was established in 2013 by former Tory health secretary Andrew Lansley to give the NHS greater independence and autonomy – with an intention for it to operate at arm’s length from the government.
The body, which is now the world’s largest quango, is responsible for delivering high-quality care, supporting staff, and ensuring value for money.
Its website states that it has a “wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers”, which include working with the government to agree funding and priorities for the NHS and overseeing the delivery of safe and effective NHS services.
NHS England employs about 13,000 people.
Why has it been scrapped?
The prime minister has said abolishing the body will bring management of the NHS “back into democratic control”.
This move will put the NHS “back at the heart of government where it belongs,” he said during a speech in east Yorkshire on Thursday, “freeing it to focus on patients, less bureaucracy, with more money for nurses”.
He added that the NHS will “refocus” on cutting waiting times at “your hospital”.
The Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “This is 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.
“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.
“NHS staff are working flat out but the current system sets them up to fail. These changes will support the huge number of capable, innovative and committed people across the NHS to deliver for patients and taxpayers.
“Just because reform is difficult doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done. This government will never duck the hard work of reform. We will take on vested interests and change the status quo, so the NHS can once again be there for you when you need it.”
What will happen now?
NHS England will be brought back into the Department of Health and Social Care, it was announced, in order to end duplication.
The department said the reforms would reverse the 2012 reorganisation of the NHS “which created burdensome layers of bureaucracy without any clear lines of accountability”.
Board members stepped down days before
In the days before Sir Keir’s announcement, NHS England said three leading board members were stepping down at the end of the month.
Chief Financial Officer Julian Kelly, NHS Chief Operating Officer Emily Lawson and Chief Delivery Officer and National Director for Vaccination and Screening Steve Russell will leave their roles in the coming weeks.
At the time, NHS Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard – who is also stepping down – said the board members made their decision based on the upcoming changes to the size and function of the centre.
