Political opinion: Jonathan Hinder MP - Cutting NHS bureaucracy to deliver for Pendle and Clitheroe

Too often, vital changes are slowed down by layers of red tape, unelected bodies, and unnecessary bureaucracy. To tackle this, the Labour government is taking decisive steps to remove the blockers, streamline decision-making, and get on with delivering change - starting with the NHS.

Last week, the Prime Minister announced plans to scrap NHS England and bring it back under direct government control. Even though NHS waiting lists have been coming down for five months in a row, thanks to hard work from this government, they still remain unacceptably high. I know from knocking on doors across Pendle and Clitheroe that too many people are struggling to access the health service - whether it’s a GP appointment, hospital procedure, or specialist care.

The move is ultimately about cutting bureaucracy and making sure decisions are made with patients in mind. Instead of wasting money on a system bogged down by oversized management, this change will make the Department of Health directly responsible for the NHS - meaning clearer accountability and more funding going to frontline services where it belongs.

This will ultimately translate into shorter waiting times and faster treatment. NHS staff will be able to spend less time on paperwork and more time caring for patients. A more efficient health service will ensure people get the care they need when they need it.

At its core, the move is about putting patients first. NHS England has, at times, been too slow to adapt to the changing needs of health, and for years, elected politicians - who answer to the public - have struggled to push through the scale of change needed. That will now change.

But it’s not just the NHS. The government is also tackling other areas too. Last week I spoke in Parliament about the Sentencing Council, which has recently made recommendations that raise concerns about who really has the final say on laws - Parliament or unelected regulators.

The Council’s latest sentencing guidelines suggest treating offenders differently based on their race or religion, which undermines the principle that everyone should be treated equally before the law. The Justice Secretary has declared that she will put this right, so we maintain equality before the law. As I said in the House of Commons, Parliament makes the laws - and politicians have given far too much power away to unelected bodies in recent years. I am really pleased that the government acknowledges this and is returning power to the democratically elected government.

The government is focused on cutting red tape, making services work better, and ensuring fairness. Whether it’s fixing the NHS, making the justice system fairer, or getting rid of unnecessary bureaucracy, the priority is simple: getting things done for the people of Pendle and Clitheroe.

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