Sir Keir Starmer took over NHS England in an attempt to put the health service’s management “back into democratic control” and increase funding for frontline care. The head of the party that established the NHS abruptly declared that he would eliminate the autonomous quango that had been in charge of the health service for over ten years, eliminating over 9,000 jobs in the process. By reducing red tape and duplication, the measures, according to ministers, would help save hundreds of millions of pounds annually, which would be used to shorten wait times.

Health organisations and unions claimed that another NHS reorganisation would risk taking “time and energy” away from enhancing patient care, while the Conservatives grudgingly welcomed the decision and warned Labour that it had to deliver. “I wish we’d had the guts to do this,” tweeted Lord James Bethell, a former Tory health minister. Days after a mass departure of NHS England’s senior executives, including the unexpected resignation of its chief executive and medical director, the extraordinary move was made.

In a speech about cutting regulations and shrinking the civil service in Yorkshire, Sir Keir announced the reform and promised to go one step further by ‘cutting bureaucracy across the state, focusing government on the priorities of working people (and) shifting money to the front line.’ He claimed that dismantling NHS England would “place the NHS back where it belongs—at the centre of government, freeing it to focus on patients, with less bureaucracy and more funding for nurses.” The NHS has refocused on reducing hospital wait times. “In this era, they will keep on coming,” he promised, adding that it was by no means the only “tough choice” he would have to make.

Under the plans, which are planned to begin immediately but take up to two years, NHS England, which the government characterised as the “world’s largest quango,” will be brought back under the Department of Health and Social Care. Leave us a feedback and Stay current and connect with us on [Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1An4REwgwy/?mibextid=wwXIfr].