Plans to cut staff numbers in half at NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care were revealed the other day amidst drastic cost-cutting procedures.

The 'bonfire of bureaucrats' is focused on eliminating duplication throughout the organisations after their labor forces swelled during the pandemic.

Health secretary Wes Streeting is also seeking to tighten his control over the NHS, provide much better value for taxpayers and free-up money for the frontline.

Three more NHS England board members the other day revealed they will quit at the end of this month, following the current resignations of president Amanda Pritchard and national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis.

The most recent leaders to join the exodus are Julian Kelly, the primary financial officer, Emily Lawson, the chief operating officer, and Steve Russell, the chief delivery officer and nationwide director for vaccination and screening.

NHS England is the nationwide quango tasked with managing the daily running of the health service and its long-lasting strategy.

It was established by the Tories in 2013 to offer it greater political independence but Mr Streeting is keen to regain tighter control from within his Department.

NHS England stated in a declaration: 'As part of the requirement to make best possible usage of taxpayers' money to support frontline services, the size of NHS England will be radically minimized and could see the size of the centre decrease by around half.'

The deeper staffing cuts follow a reduction of about 4,000 to 6,000 staff members at NHS England over the previous two years and about 800 at the Department of Health and Social Care.

Health secretary Wes Streeting is also seeking to tighten his control over the NHS, amid plans to cut staff numbers in half at NHS England and the Department of Health

Former NHS England chief Amanda Pritchard will step down from her position at the end of this month

NHS England chief delivery officer Steve Russell (left) and primary running officer Emily Lawson (right) are amongst the most recent managers to join the exodus

Sir Jim Mackey, who will end up being interim president at the start of April, will set up a shift group within NHS England to 'lead the extreme reduction and improving of the centre with the Department of Health and Social Care'.

He said: 'We understand that today's news is disturbing for our staff, and we have considerable obstacles and changes ahead.'We intend to have a transition team in place to start on the 1st April 2025 to help lead us through this period.'

Ms Pritchard stated in a note to personnel, seen by the Health Service Journal: 'In the last number of weeks, I have stated I believe the time is best for radical reform of the size and functions of the centre to finest support local NHS systems and suppliers to deliver for clients and drive the government's reform concerns.'

She said Mr Streeting had actually asked Sir Jim and Penny Dash, the incoming NHS England chair, to 'lead this work, delivering significant modifications in our relationship with DHSC to get rid of duplication'.

Mr Streeting stated: 'I wish to put on record my thanks to Julian, Emily and Steve for their dedication as public servants, and their work in specific assisting guide the NHS through the pandemic.

'I have actually taken pleasure in dealing with each of them over the last eight months and I've been impressed by their ability and focus on delivering improvement for clients and staff.

'We are entering a duration of crucial transformation for our NHS. 'With a more powerful relationship in between the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England, we will work together with the speed and seriousness required to satisfy the scale of the obstacle.'

As of June last year, NHS England utilized just under 15,000 full-time equivalent staff, including irreversible, short-lived and consultancy. The Department of Health and Social Care had around 9,000, including the UK Health Security Agency. These are both around 30 percent more than in January 2020.

NHS England primary monetary officer Julian Kelly has likewise included his name to leaders resigning from their positions

Professor Stephen Powis, the NHS nationwide medical director, revealed last week he would step down this summer season

UNISON head of health Helga Pile said: 'Staff will be not surprisingly worried about this sudden change of instructions.

'The number of redundancies being looked for at NHS England has actually trebled in simply a matter of weeks.

'Em ployees there have actually currently been through the mill with endless rounds of reorganisation. What was currently a demanding possibility has actually now ended up being more like a problem.

'Fixing a damaged NHS needs an appropriate strategy, with main bodies resourced and handled successfully so regional services are supported.

'Rushing through cuts brings a threat of producing a further, more complex mess and might eventually hold the NHS back. That would pull down the very people who need it most, the patients.'

Matthew Taylor, president of the NHS Confederation, said: 'These changes are taking place at a scale and speed not prepared for to start with, but offered the substantial cost savings that the NHS requires to make this year it makes good sense to decrease areas of duplication at a nationwide level and for the NHS to be led by a leaner centre.

'NHS England has already delivered substantial cost savings and helped to provide enhancements in efficiency, however nationwide bodies and local NHS leaders know that more is required this year.

'These modifications represent the greatest reshaping of the NHS's nationwide architecture in more than a years. It is essential that regional NHS organisations and other bodies are associated with this transformation as the immediate next steps end up being clearer, so that an optimum operating design can be created.

'This must be about doing things in a different way for the advantage of local communities as both clients and taxpayers, along with for staff ahead of annual survey results on Thursday that are yet once again anticipated to reveal the severe challenges they face.'

Wes Streeting