BDA support: NHS England abolition
The Government has confirmed the abolition of NHS England, a 50 per cent reduction in its central workforce, and a transition of these functions into a transformed Department for Health and Social Care. As your trade union, we are here to support any affected members.
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What we know
On 13 March 2025, the Government announced its plan to abolish NHS England (NHSE), to reduce its central workforce by 50 per cent, and transition these functions into a transformed Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Over the course of the last year, BDA representatives have engaged in regular organisational change meetings to ensure the interests of our members are represented throughout this process which, to date, has offered little clarity regarding the future of NHS England staff. We have been clear that it is critical to retain the dental public health expertise working within the organisation that lay such a key role in safeguarding the oral and general health of the nation.
At the end of 2025, a voluntary exit scheme was launched by NHS England; we understand that 4100 staff members have applied, and formal announcements regarding which applications have been accepted will be announced in February.
Timelines
As of January 2026, further details have been shared on the overarching timelines for organisational change:
- January-April 2026: The Department will be defining the new DHSC's essential role, vision, accountabilities and how functions will work together.
- March-August 2026: The Department will build on this to develop a more detailed organisational design, including how the functions will operate
- October-November 2026: A formal consultation on the detailed design proposals for the new DHSC and any future downsizing
- January-March 2027: Individual consultation on the filling of posts. This will be a mapping process to determine how current substantive posts in both NHSE and DHSC would translate to posts in the new DHSC.
- The aim is for colleagues to move into their new roles from April 2027.
We will continue to engage proactively in Local and National NHS England Partnership Forums, and in formal consultations, to ensure the interests of our members are represented.
Dental public health
We have warned officials that the announcement to reduce the size of NHS England's central workforce by 50% could critically undermine an already fragile dental public health function.
We’ve been clear that a thriving dental public health consultant workforce is essential for the delivery of the Government’s agenda for oral health, and that the capacity of the workforce is at breaking point following relentless successions of organisational change processes.
We will continue to seek guarantees that our workforce will be protected from headcount reductions throughout this process.
What you can do
Tell us about your situation
If you have any information about how your area of NHS England is being impacted then please let us know via our NHSE webform.
If you work in dental public health and have any local updates please let us know via our public health webform.
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Advice and confidential support
Members who are employed by NHS England have access to online advice as well as 121 support via email and/or phone to our Employment Relations team.
Self-employed? Essential members have access to online advice, Extra and Expert members can contact our Employment Law team for bespoke advice.
All members can access additional support via Health Assured or contact the BDA Benevolent Fund.
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