Keir Starmer is abolishing NHS England – What does this actually mean?

No, the NHS isn't going anywhere.

During a speech announcing public sector reform plans, the prime minister said he would be scrapping the "arms-length body NHS England," the BBC reports.

“I’m bringing management of the NHS back into democratic control, by abolishing the arms-length body NHS England,” he says.

He added this will "put the NHS back at the heart of government where it belongs."

However, many people have been left confused by the eye-catching headlines that have been understandably misinterpreted.

Seeing the words "Starmer abolishes NHS England" has left swathes of people concerned the entire NHS is set to be dismantled and thrown onto the wayside.

This is, of course, not the case.

The NHS is, thankfully, not going anywhere anytime soon, with just one layer of the organisation set to disappear.

Put simply, the NHS is a highly devolved system, split into multiple organisations that work together to process funds and resources as well as deliver healthcare.

Organisations become more local and focussed further down the system with NHS England working on a national level, heading up directive decisions in the country.

The NHS website describes the organisation's function as: "Responsible for providing unified, national leadership for the NHS.

"NHS England is a single regulatory body responsible for overseeing the funding, planning, delivery, transformation, and performance of NHS healthcare in England.

"The Health and Care Act formalised the mergers of a number of NHS organisations including NHS England, NHS Improvement, Health Education England, and NHS Digital."

NHS trusts are the organisations most people have direct contact with, working on a local level to provide healthcare services.

By abolishing NHS England, Starmer intends on removing a layer of bureaucracy from the complex NHS system.

NHS Scotland and NHS Wales will not be affected as far as is known.

Ultimately, what this means is that millions of pounds should be saved and spent more wisely by a more streamlined directive by working closer with regional bodies.

The PM said: "I don't see why decisions about £200billion of taxpayer money, on something as fundamental as the NHS, should be taken by an arms length body.

"Today has got to be a line in the sand for all of us I can't explain to the British people why they should spend their money on two layers on bureaucracy.

"That money could and should be spent on nurses, doctors, operations, GP appointments. I'm bringing management of the NHS back into democratic control."

He added: "By abolishing the arms length body NHS England, that will put the NHS back at the heart of government where it belongs, freeing it to focus on patients, less bureaucracy, with more money for nurses."

During his talk Starmer highlighted too much regulation and too many regulators.

"I'm not a believer in lowering standards," he said, noting there are also too many inconsistencies in regulation.