NHS England will be brought into the Department for Health and Social Care in a bid to cut bureaucracy and duplication – and we want to hear your thoughts on Keir Starmer’s decision
Keir Starmer has announced plans to scrap NHS England (NHSE) and bring the health service “back into democratic control” – and we want to hear your thoughts on the huge reorganisation.
In a major speech yesterday, the Prime Minister said the move will cut bureaucracy and duplication, as the NHSE will be brought into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). He said the decision to bring the NHSE under government-control would free up money for frontline services, speed up improvements, and allow ministers to focus on slashing record waiting lists.
Speaking about duplication of work between the DHSC and NHSE, the PM said: “If we strip that out, which is what we are doing today, that then allows us to free up that money to put it where it needs to be, which is the frontline.”
He added: “I don’t see why decisions about £200billion of taxpayer money, on something as fundamental as the NHS, should be taken by an arms-length body. Today has got to be a line in the sand for all of us”.
NHSE is a non-departmental public body of the DHSC which leads the National Health Service in England. Health Secretary Wes Streeting described “abolishing the biggest quango in the world” as 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.”
It comes after Lord Darzi’s independent investigation into the state of the NHS last year found the 2012 structural reforms – led by the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government – were “disastrous”.
Mr Streeting said local NHS providers will be “set free” by the changes, adding: “By slashing through the layers of red tape and ending the infantilisation of frontline NHS leaders, we will set local NHS providers free to innovate, develop new, productive ways of working and focus on what matters most, delivering better care for patients.”
He continued: “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.”
The reorganisation process, which will begin immediately and aim to be completed in two years, will see thousands of job cuts, with any taxpayer savings to be rediverted to improving patient care. Many health experts have welcomed the move but highlighted concerns about staff cuts and around disruption to the NHS during the transition period.
Nuffield Trust chief executive Thea Stein said: “Today’s news will be devastating for staff at all levels of NHS England, and we must remain mindful of the human cost of this decision,” while Sir James Mackey, who will be taking over as Transition chief executive of NHSE, admitted the news would be “unsettling” for the employees.
However, Mr Streeting emphasised that cutting down duplication and jobs will save the taxpayer “hundreds of millions of pounds” and that, more generally, improving efficiency will be better value for the taxpayer. He reportedly told staff that doesn’t make sense “to have two organisations fulfilling the same functions” and that the “fragmented system is holding us all back”.
Following yesterday’s announcement, we want to hear your thoughts on Starmer’s decision to abolish NHS England. Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.
The Mirror will also be discussing the topic with you in the comments section below and you can join in! All you have to do is sign up, submit your comment, register your details and then you can take part.
