Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced plans to bring NHS England back into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) with the aim of ending the duplication resulting from two organisations doing the same job.
Speaking in Hull on 13 March 2025, Starmer said: “I’m bringing management of the NHS back into democratic control, by abolishing the arms-length body NHS England.”
It follows recent announcements from several senior leaders that they are leaving NHSE, including Amanda Pritchard, chief executive, and Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director.
DHSC said in a press release that work will begin immediately to return many of NHSE’s current functions to the department and a longer-term programme of work will realise the “untapped potential” of the NHS as a single payer system, using its centralised model to procure technology more rapidly, get a better deal for taxpayers on procurement, and work more closely with the life sciences sector to develop the treatments of the future.
Commenting on the abolishment of NHSE, Wes Streeting, health secretary, 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.”
Sir James Mackey, who will be taking over from Pritchard as transition chief executive of NHSE, said: “We know that while unsettling for our staff, today’s announcement will bring welcome clarity as we focus on tackling the significant challenges ahead and delivering on the government’s priorities for patients.
“From managing the Covid pandemic, the biggest and most successful vaccine campaign which got the country back on its feet, to introducing the latest most innovative new treatments for patients, NHSE has played a vital role in improving the nation’s health.
“I have always been exceptionally proud to work for the NHS – and our staff in NHSE have much to be proud of.
“But we now need to bring NHSE and DHSC together so we can deliver the biggest bang for our buck for patients, as we look to implement the three big shifts – analogue to digital, sickness to prevention, and hospital to community – and build an NHS fit for the future.”
DHSC said that the reforms will free up capacity and help deliver savings of hundreds of millions of pounds a year to be reinvested in frontline services.
Pritchard had hinted at changes to NHSE leadership at the Health and Social Care Select Committee in January 2025.
“The opportunity clearly now, particularly with the new government in place, is to make sure that between us and them we’re confident that we’ve got the right leadership arrangements in place across NHSE and the department so that we’re aligning with the vision from the 10 year plan,” Pritchard said.