Plans to cut staff numbers in half at NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care were revealed yesterday in the middle of extreme cost-cutting steps.

The 'bonfire of bureaucrats' is targeted at getting rid of duplication throughout the organisations after their workforces swelled throughout the pandemic.

Health secretary Wes Streeting is likewise looking for to tighten his control over the NHS, deliver much better worth for taxpayers and free-up money for the frontline.

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

The most recent leaders to sign up with the exodus are Julian Kelly, the primary monetary officer, Emily Lawson, the chief operating officer, and Steve Russell, the chief shipment officer and nationwide director for vaccination and screening.

NHS England is the nationwide quango tasked with supervising the daily running of the health service and its long-term strategy.

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

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

The deeper staffing cuts follow a reduction of about 4,000 to 6,000 employees at NHS England over the previous 2 years and about 800 at the Department of Health and Social Care.

Health secretary Wes Streeting is also seeking to tighten his control over the NHS, amid strategies 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 most current bosses to join the exodus

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

He said: 'We understand that today's news is upsetting for our staff, and we have substantial obstacles and modifications ahead.'We intend to have a transition group in place to begin on the 1st April 2025 to assist lead us through this period.'

Ms Pritchard said in a note to staff, seen by the Health Service Journal: 'In the last couple of weeks, I have actually stated I think the time is best for extreme reform of the size and functions of the centre to finest support regional NHS systems and companies to deliver for patients and drive the government's reform concerns.'

She said Mr Streeting had actually asked Sir Jim and Penny Dash, the incoming NHS England chair, to 'lead this work, delivering considerable modifications in our relationship with DHSC to get rid of 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 work in particular assisting steer the NHS through the pandemic.

'I have actually taken pleasure in dealing with each of them over the last 8 months and I have actually been impressed by their skill and concentrate on providing improvement for patients and staff.

'We are going into a period of important improvement for our NHS. 'With a more powerful relationship in between the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England, we will interact with the speed and seriousness required to meet the scale of the challenge.'

Since June in 2015, NHS England utilized just under 15,000 full-time equivalent personnel, consisting of permanent, momentary 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 primary financial officer Julian Kelly has likewise added his name to leaders resigning from their positions

Professor Stephen Powis, the NHS nationwide medical director, announced recently he would step down this summer

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

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

'Em ployees there have actually already been through the mill with unlimited rounds of reorganisation. What was already a difficult possibility has now ended up being more like a nightmare.

'Fixing a broken NHS needs a correct strategy, with central bodies resourced and managed successfully so regional services are supported.

'Rushing through cuts brings a threat of producing a further, more complicated mess and might ultimately hold the NHS back. That would pull down the very individuals who require it most, the patients.'

Matthew Taylor, president of the NHS Confederation, stated: 'These modifications are happening at a scale and rate not prepared for to start with, however offered the big savings that the NHS requires to make this year it makes good sense to reduce locations of duplication at a national level and for the NHS to be led by a leaner centre.

'NHS England has actually already delivered significant cost savings and helped to provide enhancements in performance, however nationwide bodies and local NHS leaders know that more is required this year.

'These changes represent the most significant reshaping of the NHS's national architecture in more than a years. It is essential that regional NHS organisations and other bodies are involved in this transformation as the immediate next steps end up being clearer, so that an optimal operating design can be .

'This must have to do with doing things differently for the benefit of local communities as both clients and taxpayers, along with for staff ahead of annual study results on Thursday that are yet once again anticipated to reveal the extreme difficulties they face.'

Wes Streeting