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

The 'bonfire of bureaucrats' is focused on removing duplication throughout the organisations after their workforces swelled throughout the pandemic.

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

Three more NHS England board members the other day announced they will give up at the end of this month, following the current resignations of chief executive 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 running officer, and Steve Russell, the chief shipment officer and nationwide director for vaccination and screening.

NHS England is the national quango entrusted with supervising the everyday 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 restore tighter control from within his Department.

NHS England stated in a statement: 'As part of the need to make best possible usage of taxpayers' money to support frontline services, the size of NHS England will be significantly decreased and might 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 past 2 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, in the middle of strategies 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 chief operating officer Emily Lawson (best) are amongst the current employers to sign up with 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 decrease and improving of the centre with the Department of Health and Social Care'.

He stated: 'We know that today's news is disturbing for our staff, and we have significant challenges and changes ahead.'We intend to have a shift group in place to begin on the 1st April 2025 to help lead us through this period.'

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

She said Mr Streeting had actually asked Sir Jim and Penny Dash, the incoming NHS England chair, to 'lead this work, providing substantial modifications in our relationship with DHSC to remove duplication'.

Mr Streeting said: 'I 'd like to put on record my thanks to Julian, Emily and Steve for their commitment as public servants, and their operate in specific assisting steer the NHS through the pandemic.

'I've enjoyed dealing with each of them over the last eight months and I've been impressed by their skill and concentrate on providing enhancement for clients and staff.

'We are entering a period of critical change for our NHS. 'With a stronger relationship between the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England, we will work together with the speed and urgency needed to satisfy the scale of the challenge.'

Since June last year, NHS England utilized just under 15,000 full-time comparable staff, consisting of permanent, momentary 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 added his name to leaders resigning from their positions

Professor Stephen Powis, the NHS nationwide medical director, announced recently he would step down this summer season

UNISON head of health Helga Pile said: 'Staff will be not surprisingly concerned about this sudden modification of direction.

'The variety 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 already a stressful possibility has actually now ended up being more like a problem.

'Fixing a damaged NHS requires a proper strategy, with central bodies resourced and handled successfully so local services are supported.

'Rushing through cuts brings a danger of developing a further, more complex mess and might ultimately hold the NHS back. That would let down the very people who need it most, the clients.'

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: 'These changes are happening at a scale and speed not anticipated to start with, however offered the big cost savings that the NHS requires to make this year it makes good sense to minimize areas of duplication at a nationwide level and for the NHS to be led by a leaner centre.

'NHS England has actually currently provided significant cost savings and assisted to provide enhancements in performance, however national bodies and local NHS leaders know that more is needed this year.

'These changes represent the most significant improving of the NHS's national architecture in more than a years. It is essential that regional NHS organisations and other bodies are involved in this change as the instant next steps become clearer, so that an optimal operating model can be produced.

'This need to be about doing things differently for the benefit of local communities as both clients and taxpayers, along with for personnel ahead of annual study results on Thursday that are yet once again expected to reveal the extreme challenges they face.'

Wes Streeting