MPs examined clauses that would put NHS workforce planning under the Health Secretary and give ministers more power over local NHS decisions, including the use of private providers and the removal of integrated care board chief executives. Opposition MPs said the Bill could centralise too much power and weaken safeguards, while the Government argued the new powers are needed for accountability, flexibility and future reform.

#Health Bill, #Committee Stage, #Amendment, #Department of Health and Social Care, #NHS England, #Integrated Care Boards, #NHS Workforce Planning, #Medical School Places, #NHS Accountability, #Local NHS Decision Making

Ministers argued that bringing NHS England back into the Department of Health and Social Care would cut duplication and improve accountability, but MPs pressed for clearer evidence on savings, redundancy costs, the future leadership model, and safeguards for patients, staff, local accountability and social care links.

MPs examined plans to abolish NHS England, give more power to integrated care boards and create a single patient record, with witnesses supporting simpler structures and better data sharing but warning that local accountability, social care links, privacy protections and staffing plans remain unclear.