NHS England staff are bracing for a swathe of redundancies across key networks after an agreement was finally arranged to fund an estimated £1bn in redundancy pay.
Around 18,000 NHS England and Department of Health staff are expected to lose their jobs in the near future, with the redundancies particularly affecting administrative roles.
The mass redundancies, which the Department of Health claims will cut “unnecessary bureaucracy,” are reportedly expected to save £1 billion a year by the end of Parliament, which will be redirected to other vital services. Bosses suggest the NHS will recoup costs later down the line.
The layoffs also come at a cost to the taxpayer, with the NHS expected to overspend this year to cover redundancy costs that could be worth around £1bn. It’s understood that the government hasn’t made extra funding available for the payout.
According to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, the move aims to address concerns about "too many layers of management, too many layers of bureaucracy" in the UK health system.
"People want to see the front line prioritised, and that is exactly what we're doing," he continued.
It also leaves tens of thousands of staff in a precarious position, with months of uncertainty now followed by confirmation that they will lose their jobs by March 2026.
The Independent reported that around 3,000 staff have also signed up to take voluntary redundancy.
According to Patricia Marquis, the Executive Director of the Royal College of Nursing England, more should be done to show how care will be transformed after losing “so many nursing experts.”
“The government’s reforms need people who are not just clinical experts, but also those who know their way around the health and care systems to ensure patients can access the best possible care,” her statement reads.
She continued: “Frontline services need more investment, but to do this off the backs of making thousands of experts redundant is a false economy.
“Expert registered nurses working across NHS England and ICBs don’t just run vital public health programmes and oversee care programmes for the vulnerable – they connect the NHS and social care services with one another.”
What NHS England jobs are being cut?
Government officials claim they’re trying to improve frontline care by removing layers of bureaucracy, meaning those facing job losses predominantly include those working in administration and managerial positions.
A full list of staff up for redundancy hasn’t been confirmed, but local health planning services, back-office staff, and those working in office support roles are expected to be impacted.
Around 50 per cent of staff working for integrated care boards (ICBs) will lose their jobs as a result. These ICBs were previously introduced in 2022 and essentially are responsible for planning health services in various regions.
Following the redundancies, a UK Gov statement says ICBs will be “leaner organisations” while also being “tasked with transforming the NHS into a neighbourhood health service, with a greater focus on preventing illness.”
It’s also understood that redundancies will form part of the NHS England integration back into the Department of Health and Social Care over the next two years.
What is the medical community saying?
While medical experts agree that more funding and frontline support are needed, many have expressed concerns about the latest announcement.
“We need to see the money spent filling gaps on rotas, creating much-needed training jobs for resident doctors, and restoring the value of staff salaries to show that our worth is recognised,” said BMA chair of council Dr Tom Dolphin.
“And let’s not forget the NHS maintenance backlog standing at nearly £16 billion, with many hospitals struggling with unsafe, outdated buildings. We hope the Health Secretary will recognise that investment in staff, training and buildings and equipment is needed if the savings he is talking of are to truly translate into improved patient care.”
While UNISON head of health Helga Pile said: “This process has been a shambles and should never have taken so long. Demoralised staff have had months of uncertainty, with the threat of job losses hanging over them.
Pile continued: “Large-scale redundancies like these should never be callously dismissed as cuts to ‘bureaucracy’.”
