Committee publication · Correspondence · 3 June 2026
Correspondence from NHS Alliance- Follow up from 20 May session
From: Health and Social Care Committee
Inquiry: The work of NHS England
Summary
The NHS Alliance writes to the Health and Social Care Committee following its 20 May evidence session on NHS reform and Integrated Care Boards. It highlights survey findings showing significant concerns among NHS leaders about planned and emergency care in 2026/27, deteriorating staff morale linked to required financial savings, and a gap between initial ICB restructuring plans and current function transfers.
Key findings
- 83% of NHS trust and ICB respondents concerned about planned care in 2026/27; 78% concerned about emergency care due to required financial savings
- 93% of ICB and NHS trust leaders report that delivering required financial savings has worsened staff morale
- NHS leaders seek government backing to make difficult service reconfiguration decisions despite public opposition
- Originally 18 ICB functions were planned for transfer out; December 2025 update retained 14 of those 18 functions, creating planning disruption despite unchanged cost and headcount reduction targets
Tone
ProceduralTopics
nhs-reformpublic-financehealth-workforceservice-delivery
Key actors
Layla Moran MP, NHS Alliance, Sarah Walter, Integrated Care Boards, NHS England, NHS trusts
Notable line
“93 per cent of ICB and NHS trust leaders say that delivering the financial savings required has led to worsening staff morale.”
Key Quotes
“83 per cent of NHS trust and ICB respondents are concerned about planned care in 2026/27.”
“93 per cent of ICB and NHS trust leaders say that delivering the financial savings required has led to worsening staff morale.”
“… trust and ICB respondents want backing to make difficult decisions, particularly when it comes to reconfiguring local services where there is likely to be opposition from the public.”
“… in December 2025, ICB leaders were provided with an update, Model ICB 'Review for Transfer' Functions , which said ICBs would retain fourteen of those eighteen functions that had been due to transfer out.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗