The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced this week that NHSX and NHS Digital will be incorporated into NHSE/I, following the recommendations made by NHS Digital Chair Laura Wade-Gery.
Digital and workforce are central to transforming the NHS to tackle the backlog and recover services after the COVID pandemic, as well of course deliver on our Long Term Plan commitments and maintain momentum of the lifesaving NHS COVID vaccination programme, all while looking after thousands of patients in hospital with the virus, said NHS Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard. By coming together in this way, the whole health service can continue progress in delivering these goals.
NHSX and NHS Digital will now be part of the new Transformation Directorate at NHSE/I, and Simon Bolton, NHS Digital Interim CEO, will become the Chief Information Officer of NHSE/I.
The Department of Health and Social Care said the development will help improve co-operation between the key digital bodies of the NHS by bringing them under one roof for the first time.
In a statement, the Secretary of State said:
To ensure our record NHS investment makes a lasting impact, I am bringing workforce planning and digital transformation into the heart of the NHS.
These reforms will support our recovery from COVID-19 and help us tackle waiting lists to give patients excellent care in years to come.
I would like to pay tribute to all our colleagues at Health Education England, NHS Digital and NHSX for the enormous progress they have made, which we will continue to drive forward with their help."