Medicine and Science from The BMJ
What does the death of NHS England, and the western alliance, mean for health?
Mar 26, 2025
Nigel Crisp, former chief executive of the NHS, emphasizes the importance of aligning healthcare more closely with political decision-makers following the disbanding of NHS England. Illona Kickbusch, professor at the University of Geneva, discusses the impact of U.S. withdrawal from the WHO and the resulting instability in global health alliances. Zulfiqar Bhutta, an expert in global child health, highlights the double burden of malnutrition faced by adolescent girls in South Asia, advocating for societal and governmental change to improve their health outcomes.
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Quick takeaways
- The disbanding of NHS England raises concerns about potential inefficiencies and the loss of independent expertise in healthcare management.
- Malnutrition among adolescent girls in South Asia underscores a critical need for targeted policies to foster their health and empowerment.
Deep dives
Reforming NHS England
Recent announcements from the UK government propose significant changes to NHS England, part of ongoing reforms intended to improve the functioning of the health service. The disbanding of NHS England may consolidate its responsibilities back into the Department of Health and Social Care, which raises concerns about potential inefficiencies and risks associated with such a shift. Critics argue that this could undermine the expertise and independence that NHS England provided, impacting areas such as digital health and workforce planning. Such organizational upheaval could affect staff morale and continuity in service delivery as concerns over job security and institutional memory arise.
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