Update on DHSC announcement of merger between HEE and NHSE/I

Joint statement by NHS England and Improvement (NHSE/I) chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, and Health Education England (HEE) chief executive, Navina Evans, on the recent announcement by the Department of Health and Social Care that HEE will merge with NHSE/I.

NHS England and NHS Improvement coming together with Health Education England creates a stronger organisation that aligns workforce, financial and service planning with education and training, Covid-19 recovery, the People Plan, and a robust workforce reform programme for the benefit of patients and the public.

Along with other changes announced by the Secretary of State, it creates a single NHS leadership body with workforce at its centre and brings exciting opportunities to create a health and care system where cooperation and collaboration are the core building blocks nationally, regionally, and locally.

We know these changes can sometimes be worrying for colleagues and have the potential to disrupt focus from the day job. We, along with our leadership colleagues, will do all we can to ensure a culture that is supportive, inclusive and recognises the central importance of the work we are delivering whilst making the merger happen.