Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed plans to slash 9,000 roles from the 15,000-strong NHS England workforce, targeting hundreds of millions in savings by merging duplicated functions like communications and strategy teams.
The decision reverses a 2012 Coalition-era restructuring, drawing cautious support from figures like Jeremy Hunt, though critics warn of potential disruptions to patient care. Recent resignations of NHS England’s chief executive and medical director preceded the overhaul, signaling internal turmoil. Unions have condemned the reforms as unrealistic, while the government denies claims of widespread job cuts, emphasizing efficiency over austerity.
Starmer defended the shakeup in a Hull speech, arguing that decades of bureaucratic expansion failed to improve services. He stressed “active government” doesn’t require size, pledging to empower frontline workers over administrative layers. Streeting echoed this, blaming the old structure for record wait times and inefficiency, vowing to prioritize innovation and patient needs.
Downing Street dismissed rumors of an internal “Project Chainsaw” nickname referencing Elon Musk’s cost-cutting symbolism, calling the comparison juvenile. The reforms, requiring parliamentary approval, will unfold over two years, with immediate steps to integrate teams. As debates over balancing savings and service quality intensify, the plan tests Labour’s promise to modernize the NHS while navigating political and operational challenges.
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