The UK government is abolishing NHS England, the body responsible for overseeing the National Health Service (NHS) in England, eliminating 10,000 jobs to cut bureaucracy and redirect funds toward frontline care. Health Secretary Wes Streeting argues that integrating NHS England into the Department of Health and Social Care will streamline decision-making and improve services, but critics warn it could disrupt healthcare operations and distract from urgent issues like long wait times. Trade unions and health experts have expressed concern over job losses and the government's handling of the transition. The reforms, expected to take two years, aim to save £500 million while giving ministers direct control over healthcare management.
See "Wes Streeting’s ‘high-stakes’ abolition of NHS England will cut 10,000 jobs", Rowena Mason and Denis Campbell, The Guardian, March 14, 2025