Simon Stevens’ departure from NHS England was expected, but there is cause for concern about the reorganisation to come
Huge changes to the NHS are coming. A bill to be set out in the Queen’s speech next month, and accompanied by a national digital strategy, will make official what has been on the cards for some time. England’s more than 100 clinical commissioning groups are to be replaced by 44 (or possibly 42) integrated care systems, with a remit to commission health and social care, working with local authorities. Existing rules on competitive tendering will be relaxed. Sir Simon Stevens, NHS England’s boss for seven years, will step down in July. His replacement will have less power, as the service’s independence is reduced and powers to direct it are pulled back by ministers.
Sir Simon has accepted a seat in the House of Lords and so is not, it appears, going to vanish from the scene (an intriguing possibility is that he could, at some point, become a minister). But with questions being asked about how long Matt Hancock is likely to remain as health secretary, the situation for the whole health and care system is extremely precarious.
