Plans to cut staff numbers in half at NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care were unveiled yesterday amid extreme cost-cutting steps.

The 'bonfire of bureaucrats' is aimed at getting rid of duplication across the organisations after their workforces swelled during the pandemic.

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

Three more NHS England board members yesterday announced they will stop at the end of this month, following the recent resignations of chief executive Amanda Pritchard and national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis.

The latest leaders to join the exodus are Julian Kelly, the chief financial officer, Emily Lawson, the chief running officer, and Steve Russell, the chief shipment officer and national director for vaccination and screening.

NHS England is the national quango charged with managing the daily running of the health service and its long-term method.

It was established by the Tories in 2013 to provide it higher political independence but Mr Streeting is keen to restore tighter control from within his Department.

NHS England said in a declaration: 'As part of the requirement to make finest possible usage of taxpayers' money to support frontline services, the size of NHS England will be radically minimized and might see the size of the centre decline by around half.'

The deeper staffing cuts follow a reduction of about 4,000 to 6,000 workers at NHS England over the past two 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, amidst plans 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 most recent bosses to join the exodus

Sir Jim Mackey, who will become interim president at the start of April, will establish a transition team within NHS England to 'lead the radical decrease and improving 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 difficulties and changes ahead.'We intend to have a transition group in place to begin on the first 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 actually stated I think the time is right for radical reform of the size and functions of the centre to finest assistance regional NHS systems and suppliers to deliver for clients and drive the federal government's reform priorities.'

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

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

'I have actually enjoyed dealing with each of them over the last eight months and I have actually been impressed by their ability and concentrate on delivering enhancement for clients and staff.

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

Since June last year, NHS England utilized simply under 15,000 full-time comparable personnel, consisting of irreversible, temporary and consultancy. The Department of Health and Social Care had around 9,000, consisting of 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 likewise included his name to leaders resigning from their positions

Professor Stephen Powis, the NHS national medical director, revealed last week he would step down this summertime

of health Helga Pile stated: 'Staff will be naturally concerned about this sudden modification of direction.

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

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

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

'Rushing through cuts brings a risk of producing an even more, more complex mess and might ultimately hold the NHS back. That would pull down the very people who need it most, the patients.'

Matthew Taylor, president of the NHS Confederation, stated: 'These changes are occurring at a scale and speed not expected to start with, however provided the huge savings that the NHS requires to make this year it makes sense to minimize locations of duplication at a national level and for the NHS to be led by a leaner centre.

'NHS England has actually currently provided substantial cost savings and assisted to deliver enhancements in performance, however nationwide bodies and local NHS leaders know that more is required this year.

'These modifications represent the greatest improving of the NHS's national architecture in more than a years. It is necessary that regional NHS organisations and other bodies are associated with this improvement as the instant next steps end up being clearer, so that a maximum operating model can be created.

'This must have to do with doing things differently for the advantage of regional neighborhoods as both patients and taxpayers, as well as for personnel ahead of yearly survey results on Thursday that are yet once again anticipated to reveal the extreme difficulties they face.'

Wes Streeting