Plans to cut staff numbers in half at NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care were revealed the other day amid drastic cost-cutting procedures.

The 'bonfire of bureaucrats' is focused on eliminating duplication across the organisations after their labor forces swelled during the pandemic.

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

Three more NHS England board members yesterday revealed they will stop at the end of this month, following the current resignations of president Amanda Pritchard and nationwide medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis.

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

NHS England is the national quango tasked with supervising the day to day running of the health service and its long-term technique.

It was developed by the Tories in 2013 to give it greater political independence however Mr Streeting is eager to regain tighter control from within his Department.

NHS England stated in a statement: 'As part of the requirement to make finest possible usage of taxpayers' cash to support frontline services, the size of NHS England will be significantly reduced and could see the size of the centre reduction by around half.'

The much cuts follow a decrease of about 4,000 to 6,000 staff members at NHS England over the previous 2 years and about 800 at the Department of Health and Social Care.

Health secretary Wes Streeting is likewise seeking to tighten his control over the NHS, amid plans to cut personnel 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 shipment officer Steve Russell (left) and chief operating officer Emily Lawson (ideal) are amongst the current bosses to sign up with the exodus

Sir Jim Mackey, who will end up being interim president at the start of April, will set up a transition team within NHS England to 'lead the radical reduction and improving of the centre with the Department of Health and Social Care'.

He stated: 'We know that today's news is unsettling for our personnel, and we have substantial difficulties and changes ahead.'We intend to have a transition team in location to start on the 1st April 2025 to help lead us through this period.'

Ms Pritchard stated in a note to staff, seen by the Health Service Journal: 'In the last couple of weeks, I have stated I believe the time is right for extreme reform of the size and functions of the centre to best assistance regional NHS systems and service providers to provide for patients and drive the government's reform top priorities.'

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

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

'I've delighted in working with each of them over the last 8 months and I have actually been impressed by their ability and concentrate on providing enhancement for clients and personnel.

'We are entering a duration of critical improvement for our NHS. 'With a more powerful relationship between the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England, we will interact with the speed and urgency needed to meet the scale of the obstacle.'

As of June last year, NHS England used just under 15,000 full-time comparable personnel, including long-term, temporary and consultancy. The Department of Health and Social Care had around 9,000, including the UK Health Security Agency. These are both around 30 per cent more than in January 2020.

NHS England chief financial officer Julian Kelly has also included his name to leaders resigning from their positions

Professor Stephen Powis, the NHS national medical director, announced recently he would step down this summertime

UNISON head of health Helga Pile said: 'Staff will be not surprisingly worried about this sudden change of instructions.

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

'Em ployees there have currently been through the mill with unlimited rounds of reorganisation. What was already a demanding prospect has now ended up being more like a problem.

'Fixing a broken NHS requires an appropriate strategy, with central bodies resourced and managed effectively so local services are supported.

'Rushing through cuts brings a threat of developing a further, more complex mess and might ultimately hold the NHS back. That would let down the very individuals who need it most, the clients.'

Matthew Taylor, president of the NHS Confederation, said: 'These changes are taking place at a scale and rate not expected to start with, however offered the big savings that the NHS requires to make this year it makes sense to lower areas of duplication at a nationwide level and for the NHS to be led by a leaner centre.

'NHS England has actually currently delivered considerable savings and helped to deliver enhancements in productivity, but national bodies and local NHS leaders understand that more is needed this year.

'These changes represent the biggest improving of the NHS's nationwide architecture in more than a decade. It is very important that local NHS organisations and other bodies are associated with this change as the instant next steps end up being clearer, so that an optimal operating model can be produced.

'This must be about doing things in a different way for the advantage of local communities as both patients and taxpayers, as well as for personnel ahead of annual study results on Thursday that are yet once again anticipated to show the severe challenges they face.'

Wes Streeting