Health Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledges the potential for NHS disruption as he initiates changes to reduce waste, but assures of long-term improvements.
Streeting announced the abolition of NHS England to save costs and increase ministerial oversight of health services.
The Labour government anticipates the transition to take two years and generate significant savings for frontline NHS operations.
While defending the reforms on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show, Streeting admits there will be hurdles to overcome.
Streeting acknowledges potential initial disruptions to patient care but stresses the necessity of addressing inefficiencies within NHS England.
He explains the reasons behind scrapping NHS England, citing the need to minimize bureaucracy and revamp healthcare operations.
Under the new setup, NHS England will be integrated into the Department of Health and Social Care, overseen by Streeting.
The government assures that patient access to NHS services will remain unaffected and free of charge.
Significant administrative staff reductions are expected, with around 9,000 roles potentially being cut.
Streeting indicates a commitment to further bureaucracy reduction beyond the abolition of NHS England.
Various healthcare bodies overseen by the Department for Health are under review for potential streamlining.
Streeting emphasizes simplification to enhance NHS efficiency and support frontline workers.
Acknowledging impending job losses, Streeting pledges fair treatment and support for affected individuals.