Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress his Department has made on the abolition of NHS England.

Following the announcement that NHS England will be abolished as an arm’s length body and replaced by a new Department of Health and Social Care, a transformation programme has been launched, led by Richard Barker as Senior Responsible Officer (SRO).

On 26 June 2025, staff were briefed by the Department’s Permanent Secretary, the NHS England CEO, and programme SRO on the programme’s aims, executive structure, guiding principles, and transition timeline.

The recruitment of the senior leadership for the new Department is ongoing, with several roles already out to advert, including for Director General of Strategy and Health Policy, Adult Social Care, Finance, and People.

Work is progressing at pace to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organization, including a plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities.