Responding to the PAC report on the abolition of NHS England, RCN Executive Director of England, Patricia Marquis, said:

“When it was announced, we warned that the abolition of NHSE must not repeat the chaotic reorganisation that created it. This report shows the government wasn’t listening and moved too fast without proper consultation.

“We support the government in becoming fully accountable for the performance of the NHS, but nursing staff need clarity on its plan and this must be rectified quickly.

“There are hundreds of highly skilled nursing professionals inside ICBs, leading care across a range of specialisms and services. The rushed nature of this process has all the hallmarks of a cut-first-ask-questions-later culture. 

“Since the announcement of the cuts to ICBs and disbandment of NHS England, staff have expressed widespread concerns about the lack of consultation, particularly over the future of nursing in shaping services across the NHS and social care. This speaks to a wider issue of the failure to engage with and value nursing as a profession.”

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