Transformation Directorate

Health Education England, NHS Digital and NHS England have merged into a single organisation

NHS England now has responsibility for all the activities previously undertaken by Health Education England and NHS Digital.

This includes ensuring that the healthcare workforce has the right numbers, skills, values and behaviours to support the delivery of excellent healthcare and health improvement to patients and the public. It also includes running the vital national IT systems which support health and social care, and the collection, analysis, publication and dissemination of data generated by health and social care services to improve outcomes for patients.

Placing integrated care systems on a statutory footing from 1 July 2022 was a significant moment for the NHS. It means NHS England must change the way we work and how we support leaders in local systems and providers to deliver our shared core purpose of high-quality services for all. We must create the space to allow systems to lead locally, working alongside our seven regions. Our new NHS England operating framework sets out our new ways of working.

The merger with NHS Digital follows a recommendation in Laura Wade-Gery’s review, Putting data, digital and tech at the heart of transforming the NHS. Read more about how we are continuing to protect and safely use data.

Users of Health Education England and NHS Digital’s services

There are no changes for those who use the services of the former organisations, NHS Digital or Health Education England. The ways that you contact them and the services on offer is the same.

Contracts with Health Education England and NHS Digital

The mergers have been completed by a statute change, and any contracts that are subject to UK law have transferred automatically to NHS England under those regulations.

You do not need to take any action to effect the transfer of your contract.

We have written to all of Health Education England and NHS Digital’s suppliers to tell them how to change their billing systems. If you have not received that letter, if you hold any contracts that are not subject to UK law with us, or have any other queries about your contract, contact nhsdcommercial@nhs.net.