RCPE Responds to the Abolition of NHS England

RCPE acknowledges the UK Government’s decision to abolish NHS England (NHSE) and integrate its functions into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). As a leading voice for the medical profession, we recognise the significance of this structural change and the potential implications for patients, healthcare professionals, and the wider NHS.

All those working in the NHS appreciate how challenging healthcare has been in recent years – with the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns about workforce numbers, medical training bottlenecks and extreme financial pressures.

The abolition of NHSE is designed to improve efficiency, avoid duplication and reduce bureaucracy. If those aims are achieved and money saved is diverted back into direct patient care, then few clinicians working in the NHS will dispute their merit. 

However, such change is unsettling for all, and the disruption during reorganisation of roles and responsibility could lead to delay in decision making and policy advancement - including crucial and time sensitive decisions and policy relating to workforce planning, digital transformation, and service innovation.

Strong clinical leadership is now required and we ask the UK Government to use the knowledge and skills of the medical profession, through this College and others, to support a critical period of transition and to ensure that there is minimal disruption to clinical services. There must be no detrimental impact on patient safety. Healthcare professionals want to support government in shaping and delivering the very best care for patients. We hope that such a collaborative approach is one also favoured by government. This College stands ready to support this pivotal change in healthcare governance in England in the best interests of those we collectively serve.

Finally, we appreciate that this announcement will herald considerable uncertainty for many staff in NHSE and trust that their own situations are managed sensitively and with consideration.