UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a sweeping overhaul of England’s National Health Service (NHS), vowing to bring it under closer government control by abolishing NHS England, the body that currently manages the service.
In a move aimed at slashing bureaucracy and cutting costs, Starmer said the change would redirect “hundreds of millions of pounds” back into frontline care, funding more doctors, nurses, and GP appointments.
Speaking in northeast England, Starmer criticized the current system, arguing that key decisions about billions in taxpayer money should not be left to an independent agency. NHS England, created in 2013 by the previous Conservative-led government, currently operates with significant autonomy, employing around 13,500 staff—three times more than the Department of Health.
“The NHS is the beating heart of our country, but it’s been strangled by bureaucracy,” Starmer said. “We’re cutting red tape and bringing it back under democratic control to ensure every pound goes where it’s needed most—patients.”
The NHS has long struggled with chronic underfunding, staff shortages, and record-long waiting lists, leading to widespread frustration and strike action among healthcare workers. Starmer, elected last July, has pledged to reduce wait times and improve access to medical care.
This overhaul is part of Labour’s broader vision to streamline the British state. Starmer has proposed reducing the size of the UK’s 500,000-strong civil service and using artificial intelligence to improve efficiency, estimating these reforms could save the government £45 billion ($58.3 billion) annually.
In a column for The Daily Telegraph, Starmer called Britain’s public services “overcautious” and “flabby,” emphasizing the need for a leaner, more responsive government.
The announcement is expected to spark debate over the future of NHS management and whether tighter government control will deliver the improvements Starmer promises.
