What does the merger of NHS Digital and NHSX with NHS England mean?

Following the announcement that NHS Digital and NHSX is to merge with NHS England and Improvement, Digital Health’s editor-in-chief, Jon Hoeksma, explores what the consequences will be for the NHS IT community.

NHS Digital and NHSX staff deserve a lot of sympathy this week. Having worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, their reward is to be told the axe is to fall on their organisations, with many facing uncertainty surrounding their jobs.

News of the axing of NHS Digital (6000 staff) and NHSX (around 900 staff and contractors), was sudden and was delivered via a staff announcement from NHS England and Improvement CEO, Amanda Pritchard.

While a rationalisation of the many duplicate roles and responsibilities was widely expected,...