 now substantially dwarfs any other department and has grown four-fold in real terms since the early 1980s.' Between them the DHSC and NHS England cost £2.8bn, most of which is spent on staff. The NHS body is currently merging with other organisations, following previous instructions to slim bureaucracy. But even after this process is completed, the NHS body and its regional arms will have 14,000 staff, the Policy Exchange report says. As well as calling for NHS England to be brought back within the Department, whilst retaining a separate board and management, the Policy Exchange report says a host of watchdogs should be merged, to cut backroom costs and duplication. Call for free prescriptions to be axed And the think tank is calling for most free prescriptions to be axed, warning that nine in ten prescriptions are dispensed free of charge. Instead, exemptions should only be issued to those on the lowest incomes, it says. Currently the scheme is amongst the most gen){kind=link}
Policy Exchange report calls for NHS England to be brought back within the department, whilst retaining a separate board and management
The NHS could be put under the direct control of the Health Secretary under proposals being discussed in Whitehall.
As the Government works on plans to fill a £35bn blackhole in public spending, ministers are examining efforts to reduce bureaucracy, amid warning that health spending dwarfs that of all other departments.
Almost ten years ago, ministers created an arms-length body, NHS England, to take responsibility for the day to day running of services.
Today a report by right-wing think tank Policy Exchange says that the vision of a “lean” organisation has ended up with 14,000 people employed by its central and regional offices.