Thousands of NHS workers are set to lose their jobs as the government pushes ahead with plans to abolish NHS England and bring the organisation directly under the Department of Health and Social Care, The Independent has reported.
In an internal briefing to staff on Tuesday, NHS England confirmed that large-scale voluntary redundancies will proceed next year. The cuts will affect both NHS England and local Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across the country.
A presentation slide shown to staff and seen by The Independent stated that the organisation expects a 50 per cent reduction in roles, with redundancies scheduled to begin from mid-March 2026. Employees were told that applications for voluntary redundancy will open between 1 and 14 December, with national approval expected on 18 January 2026.
According to one NHS source present on the call, around 3,000 employees have already expressed an interest in taking redundancy.
The decision follows the government’s earlier announcement to dissolve NHS England as part of a broader plan to streamline operations and centralise decision-making.
NHS England, which currently employs more than 15,000 staff, was established in 2013 by then health secretary Andrew Lansley under the Conservative government to grant the health service greater operational autonomy.
However, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has argued that major funding and policy decisions should rest directly with ministers, not with what he described as an “arms-length” body. When unveiling the plan earlier this year, he said the reform would ensure that the government could “deliver better care and accountability” over the NHS’s £150 billion annual budget.
The transition has left thousands of NHS England employees uncertain about their future, with questions over whether redundancy costs will be covered by the Treasury or absorbed within the department’s existing budget.
It remains unclear how much additional funding, if any, will be allocated to support the redundancy programme.
The move comes just weeks before the autumn Budget, which is expected to outline the government’s spending priorities for health, social care, and public services.
Both NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care have been approached for official comment.
