PM abolishes NHS England in bid to reshape 'overcautious and flabby' state - with thousands to lose jobs
13 March 2025, 11:05 | Updated: 13 March 2025, 14:09
Sir Keir Starmer has announced plans to abolish NHS England in a bid to cut government red tape and bureaucracy and bring the health service back under "democratic control."
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The move will put the NHS "back at the heart of government where it belongs," Sir Keir said, "freeing it to focus on patients, less bureaucracy, with more money for nurses."
Describing NHS England as an "arms-length body", he said the move will allow the health service to "refocus" on cutting waiting times at "your hospital".
Abolishing NHS England will reduce "duplication", saving money that can then be spent on frontline services, the Prime Minister said.
Read more: What is NHS England - and what does abolishing it mean for you?
PM to attack ‘cottage industry of blockers’ as he vows to cut red tape
Answering a question from a cancer patient on how the decision would improve NHS services, Sir Keir Starmer said: "Amongst the reasons we are abolishing it is because of the duplication.
"So, if you can believe it, we've got a communications team in NHS England, we've got a communications team in the health department of government; we've got a strategy team in NHS England, a strategy team in the government department. We are duplicating things that could be done once.
"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 front line."
He added that the Government wanted to push power to frontline workers "and away from the bureaucracy which often holds them up".
It is unclear how many people will lose their jobs following this move but Health Secretary Wes Streeting said up to 10,000 roles are at risk.
Minister Ellie Reeves also confirmed this, telling LBC's Shelagh Fogarty: "People will lose jobs under this reorganisation. But it's about then putting those resources back into the frontline.
"You can't have that duplication, you can't have that bureaucracy when it means that actually we're not delivering. We want an NHS that delivers across the country so people can get those appointments when they need them. And this is a really important step in that".
What is NHS England?
NHS England was established under the 2013 coalition Government to give the health service an independent arm.
It employs around 13,500 staff - three times more than the Department of Health.
Speaking following today's announcement, health secretary Wes Streeting said he's "lost count" of the amount of Tory MPs who have expressed their regrets for creating the body in private.
Previously described as the "world's biggest quango" NHS England is in charge of the day-to-day running of the NHS and has a budget of over £168 million.
Last month the chief executive of NHS England Amanda Pritchard stepped down from her role.
In a statement, she said: "It has been an enormous privilege to lead the NHS in England through what has undoubtedly been the most difficult period in its history.
"I am immensely proud of the NHS response to Covid-19, and how we have delivered steady recovery from the inevitable impacts of the pandemic, with performance in urgent and emergency care, elective and cancer all improving over the past two years, while NHS teams delivered record levels of activity in primary care, community and mental health services, meaning millions more appointments for patients.
"We always knew the recovery period after a once-in-a-century pandemic was going to be incredibly challenging, and whilst the timeliness and experience of care is still not good enough for too many people, the NHS has achieved a great deal in the face of historic pressure thanks to a relentless focus on innovation and reform.
Sir Keir made the announcement as he set out his government's plans to slash government red-tape and bureaucracy, using tech and AI to cut down the "overcautious and flabby" state and "tear down the walls of Westminster."
He confirmed plans to cut the cost of compliance with regulation for businesses by 25%.
He said: "Today I'm issuing a new target for our government. We will make sure compliance costs for businesses are cut by a quarter.
"That's 25% compliance costs that are going to go - and they will.
"That's less red tape, more delivery, renewing our country with growth."
He added: "We've created a watchdog state completely out of whack with the priorities of the British people and that is unfit for the volatile and insecure world we live in."
Sir Keir Starmer has said the British state is "weaker than it's ever been".
He said: "At the moment, the state employs more people than we've employed for decades.
"Yet look around the country. Do you see good value everywhere? Because I don't. I actually think it's weaker than it's ever been - overstretched, unfocused, trying to do too much, doing it badly, unable to deliver the security that people need.
"I believe that working people want an active government. They don't want a weak state, they want it to secure our future, if you like, to take on the big decisions so they can get on with their lives.
"So, we don't want a bigger state, a more intrusive state, an over-expanding state, a state that demands more and more of people as it itself fails to deliver on core purposes. So, we've got to change things now."
Artificial intelligence (AI) presents a "golden opportunity" to reform the state, he added as he promised to recruit "the best of the best on AI".
Sir Keir Starmer said: "The good news is technology can massively help if we push forward with digital reform of government, and we are going to do that.
"We can make massive savings, £45 billion of savings in efficiencies, and AI is a golden opportunity."
He added: "That's an opportunity we're determined to seize, so we're going to get the best of the best on AI working across government.
"I'm going to send teams into every government department with a clear mission from me, to make the state more innovative and more efficient."
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, described the move to abolish NHS England as "the final nail in the coffin" of the Conservative's 2012 reorganisation of the health service.
He 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.”
