NHS Overhaul: Wes Streeting Concedes Unforeseen Move to Scrap NHS England, Costing 9,000 Jobs

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By Staff Writer with Agencies

In a surprising turn of events, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has admitted that he did not foresee the decision to abolish NHS England when he assumed his role. The move, announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, aims to eliminate the duplication created by two organizations performing the same tasks and will result in over 9,000 job losses.

A Shift in Strategy

Before Labour’s victory in last summer’s election, Mr. Streeting had stated he had “absolutely no intention of wasting time with a big costly reorganisation” of the NHS. However, following Sir Keir Starmer’s declaration that NHS England, the administrative body responsible for running the national health service, would be dismantled to reduce red tape, Streeting admitted that his stance had changed.

Speaking on Sky News’ Politics Hub with Trevor Phillips, Mr. Streeting said, “I didn’t anticipate coming in wanting to make this change to NHS England. It wasn’t on my list of priorities. I recognize that to achieve the change I want, this is a necessary step.”

So, Labour will abolish NHS England, making around 9,000 people redundant. It's also making around 10,000 civil servants redundant.

Then, there are 1.7m Jobseekers.
Yet there are only 1.4m job vacancies.

Tell us again how cutting benefits isn't about killing disabled people? pic.twitter.com/71E1G7bqd3

— Canary (@TheCanaryUK) March 13, 2025

Addressing Redundancy and Job Losses

The health secretary emphasized that scrapping NHS England was essential to avoid duplication and inefficiency between the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England. “You can’t have a situation where you’ve got two head offices duplicating work, man marking each other, sometimes working against each other,” he added.

When asked if more than 9,000 civil servants would lose their jobs, Mr. Streeting confirmed, “Yes.” This represents nearly half of the 19,000 employees working for NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, he admitted, “It will be an anxious time for them…there’s no way of sugarcoating it. But we will be treating people with care and respect and the fairness that they are owed through this process.”

Labour’s Commitment to the NHS

Mr. Streeting criticized the Conservative Party for reversing the progress made by Labour in the NHS. “The Conservatives inherited the shortest waiting times and the highest patient satisfaction in history when they won the 2010 election, but they turned it on its head,” he claimed.

He also emphasized the need to utilize spare capacity in the private sector to relieve pressure on the NHS but denied that the move was a step toward privatization. “With Labour, it would always be a public service free at the point of use,” he stated. “There are lots of people who are now paying to go private, and it’s those who can’t afford it who are getting left behind. I want to end that two-tier system.”

A Return to Democratic Control

Sir Keir Starmer defended the decision to bring NHS management back under the Department of Health and Social Care, 12 years after the Conservatives established NHS England. The prime minister argued that this move would end redundancy and free up staff to focus on patients, ultimately directing more resources to the frontline.

As the Labour government pushes forward with this dramatic restructuring, the nation watches closely to see whether these changes will indeed streamline the NHS and improve patient care.