The
Department of Health is set to reduce its central control workforce with 1,400
job cuts.
The
cuts will reduce staff numbers from 3,600 to 2,200 by October 2004,
representing a 38 per cent reduction at the centre of the service.
Health
secretary John Reid said more responsibility needed to be devolved away from
Whitehall and claimed the move would improve efficiency.
"Politicians
and civil servants should focus on strategic issues rather than on the
day-to-day management of the NHS.
"But
the process of devolving power to the frontline has to start from the top – we
cannot tell others to act efficiently if we’re not prepared to do so
ourselves," he said
