NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care are planning to cut around 50% of central staff as part of a major restructure instigated by Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting.

It follows a reduction of approximately 4000 – 6000 staff at NHS England over the last two years, and 800 at the DHSC.

Outgoing NHSE CEO Amanda Pritchard said cuts to the organisation will “now need to go much further” than a move to cut 2,000 roles which was announced in January. Ms Pritchard goes on to say that “the plans entailed looking at ways of radically reducing the size of NHSE that could see the centre decrease by around half”.

A spokesperson for the DHSC said Mr Streeting “has been clear about the need to reduce the size of central government to put more resource to frontline delivery and to reduce the waste and duplication between the department and NHS England”. It’s unclear what level of cuts will be made to DHSC but a departmental source said the overall side of the centre “would shrink by around 50%”.

Incoming NHSE Interim CEO Sir Jim Mackey and Chair Penny Dash have been asked to lead this work, delivering significant changes to NHSE relationship with DHSC to eradicate duplication.

NHSE has already seen a significant change to its executive team this month with Amanda (CEO), Julian Kelly (CFO), Dame Emily Lawson (COO) and Steve Russell (Chief Delivery Officer) all stepping down from their roles.