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

The 'bonfire of bureaucrats' is aimed at eliminating duplication across 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 better worth for taxpayers and free-up cash for the frontline.

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

The most recent leaders to sign up with the exodus are Julian Kelly, the chief monetary officer, Emily Lawson, the chief operating officer, and Steve Russell, the chief delivery officer and national director for vaccination and screening.

NHS England is the national quango charged with supervising the everyday running of the health service and its long-lasting method.

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

NHS England said in a statement: 'As part of the need to make finest possible use of taxpayers' money to support frontline services, the size of NHS England will be drastically lowered and might see the size of the centre decline by around half.'

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

Health secretary Wes Streeting is likewise seeking to tighten his control over the NHS, amidst plans to cut personnel 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 running officer Emily Lawson (best) are amongst the most recent bosses to sign up with the exodus

Sir Jim Mackey, who will become interim president at the start of April, will set up a shift group within NHS England to 'lead the radical decrease and reshaping 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 challenges and changes ahead.'We intend to have a transition team in place to begin on the 1st April 2025 to assist lead us through this duration.'

Ms Pritchard stated in a note to staff, 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 patients and drive the government's reform priorities.'

She said Mr Streeting had actually asked Sir Jim and Penny Dash, the inbound NHS England chair, to 'lead this work, delivering considerable changes in our relationship with DHSC to eradicate duplication'.

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

'I have actually enjoyed working with each of them over the last 8 months and I have actually been impressed by their skill and focus on delivering enhancement for clients and staff.

'We are going into a period of crucial improvement for our NHS. 'With a stronger relationship in between the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England, we will collaborate with the speed and seriousness required to fulfill the scale of the challenge.'

As of June in 2015, NHS England used just under 15,000 full-time equivalent personnel, including permanent, short-term 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 chief monetary officer Julian Kelly has actually also added his name to leaders resigning from their positions

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

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

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

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

'Fixing a damaged NHS requires a correct strategy, with central bodies resourced and handled effectively so regional services are supported.

'Rushing through cuts brings a danger of developing an even more, more complicated mess and might eventually hold the NHS back. That would let down the very people who need it most, the patients.'

Matthew Taylor, president of the NHS Confederation, stated: 'These changes are happening at a scale and pace not expected to begin with, but given the huge savings that the NHS requires to make this year it makes good sense to reduce areas of duplication at a nationwide level and for the NHS to be led by a leaner centre.

'NHS England has already delivered considerable cost savings and assisted to provide improvements in performance, but nationwide bodies and local NHS leaders know that more is needed this year.

'These modifications represent the most significant reshaping of the NHS's national architecture in more than a years. It is very important that regional NHS organisations and other bodies are included in this improvement as the immediate next steps become clearer, so that an optimum operating design can be produced.

'This should have to do with doing things differently for the advantage of regional communities as both clients and taxpayers, in addition to for staff ahead of annual survey results on Thursday that are yet again expected to show the severe challenges they deal with.'

Wes Streeting