Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the current functions of NHS England, and where those functions will be distributed after its abolition.

The functions of NHS England are set out in legislation, and these include, but are not limited to:

• commissioning services in the National Health Service;
• the establishment, oversight, and support of integrated care boards;
• the oversight and support of NHS trusts and foundation trusts;
• designing, developing, and operating national digital and technology products and services and disseminating data to support the health and care system;
• planning, recruiting, educating, and training the health workforce; and
• overseeing and promoting the use of research and innovation within the health service.

The proposed new Department is not simply a merger of the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, where both organisations’ current functions are added together. Rather, it is a fundamental redesign of the size, shape, and role of the centre in relation to the rest of the health and care system. The proposed abolition of NHS England and associated transfer and modification of functions is subject to legislation and the will of Parliament.

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