The government has announced that it will abolish NHS England and return management of the national health service to central government.

This follows a speech in Hull, where the prime minister Keir Starmer issued the announcement. Following this, Wes Streeting, the health and social care secretary, released a statement outlining what the abolition means. The secretary said the restructuring is designed to remove the duplication of jobs across NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Over the next two years, the DHSC will absorb NHS England, leading to “a much leaner top of the NHS”, saving millions of pounds. According to the health secretary, the reforms are designed to “cut through the complex web of bureaucracy and devolve more resources and responsibility to the frontline to deliver better value for taxpayers’ money and a better service for patients.”

A momentous announcement

Following the announcement, Thomas Reynolds, director of policy and communications at the Medical Defence Union (MDU), said, “The announcement by the prime minister that NHS England is to be abolished has the potential to be a landmark moment in the NHS’s story.

“However, the NHS is not about structures and agencies, it’s about people. Healthcare professionals and patients. Regardless of where control of the NHS sits in England – with central government or another body – the same challenges remain.

“From ensuring the workforce is properly supported, to having regulatory frameworks which enable healthcare professionals to get on with the job of caring for patients, to tackling unsustainable costs facing the NHS such as those associated with clinical negligence: all require urgent attention. They cannot be sidelined in this latest health service structure. That is why the MDU will continue to champion and highlight these issues.”

Calls for a ‘real investment’ in NHS dentistry

The Oral Health Foundation has also expressed concerns about what this restructuring could mean for the profession. With NHS dentistry already in crisis, there are serious fears that this restructure could further weaken leadership in dental public health and push oral healthcare even further down the priority list. Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation, has called for a clear plan to protect access to NHS dentistry and ensure a sustainable future for patient care.

Nigel said, "The prime minister’s decision to abolish NHS England marks a seismic shift in healthcare governance. While we support efforts to cut bureaucracy and direct resources to frontline care, there is an urgent need for clarity on what this means for NHS dentistry.

"For too long, NHS dentistry has been in crisis. Millions struggle to access care, worsening oral health inequalities and piling pressure on GPs and A&E. This restructure must not push dentistry even further to the margins.

"The abolition of Public Health England saw dental public health teams fragmented and diminished. Now, with NHS England gone, the risk is even greater – there is no strong, coordinated leadership to prioritise prevention and protect the nation’s oral health. If NHS dentistry continues its terminal decline, investment in dental public health becomes more critical than ever.

"The government’s pledges – extra urgent dental appointments and supervised toothbrushing – are welcome but do not address the root problem. Without a long-term, sustainable plan for NHS dentistry, these are just sticking plasters on a system in freefall.”

He concluded, "Policymakers must act. We need real investment, a workforce plan that attracts and retains NHS dentists, and a system built on prevention. If this reform is to mean anything for patients, it must deliver a dental service that is fit for the future – one that guarantees access, affordability, and continuity of care for everyone."

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