RCoA response to announcement that NHS England will be abolished

Responding to yesterday’s government announcement that NHS England will be abolished, Dr Claire Shannon, President of the Royal College of Anaesthetists said: 

“These reforms mark a significant change in how the NHS will be run across England. While we await further detail, we hope these structural changes are successful in delivering improvements in patient care and better support for NHS staff.

“The transition period will inevitably bring challenges, and we are mindful of the impact on colleagues in NHS England who will be directly affected by this news. 

“It’s vital that patients remain a priority throughout this process, and that our members and their colleagues are supported to continue delivering high-quality care. It’s also important that services provided by NHS England, such as national recruitment for specialist training, are maintained to ensure stability.

“Clinical leadership will be integral to ensuring these reforms are a success, and the College remains committed to working with the government to help strengthen the NHS.

“For example, there are opportunities to improve NHS productivity by ensuring we have enough anaesthetists to reduce waiting times for patients. There is also huge scope to enhance efficiency and patient outcomes through better perioperative care, an area where our members are already leading progress.”