Radical reforms to the NHS, including the creation of a “Single Patient Record” and the abolition of the central body that runs the health service, have been proposed as part of the 2026-27 Health Bill. The legislation marks a significant step toward the government’s 10-year plan for the health service.
The legislation represents one of the most substantial structural shifts in the NHS since its inception. Central to the Bill is the total abolition of NHS England (NHSE), with its functions and responsibilities being merged back into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). This move is intended to reduce bureaucracy and grant the Health Secretary direct powers to set performance targets and financial objectives for local health bodies.
The ‘Single Patient Record’
For patients in Bognor Regis and across West Sussex, the most visible change will be the introduction of a mandated Single Patient Record (SPR). This unified digital system will combine health and social care data, ensuring that a patient’s history is accessible to clinicians across different departments and services.
The government intends for this information to be consolidated into a single record accessible to patients via the NHS App. While the move aims to streamline treatment and prevent clinicians from working with incomplete data, it has prompted questions regarding the extent of patient “opt-out” rights and how much data might be accessible to private providers involved in NHS care delivery.
Impact on Sussex Hospitals and Accountability
The Bill also introduces major changes to how local hospitals are governed. Under current laws, NHS Foundation Trusts are required to maintain elected councils of governors to provide a layer of local accountability. The new legislation removes this statutory requirement.
For the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust—which operates St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester and Worthing Hospital—this means the formal role of elected governors could be phased out. Governance will instead be streamlined under the reformed Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), such as NHS Sussex.
Further changes to patient advocacy include the abolition of National Healthwatch. Its functions, which involve representing the views of patients to healthcare providers, will be transferred to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Medical Devices and Licensing
Late-stage amendments added to the Bill in early September have also expanded the remit of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). According to official government updates, the MHRA has been granted new powers to establish a direct licensing regime for medical devices within the UK.
These powers are designed to allow the regulator to respond more quickly to technological advances and ensure that new medical equipment meets safety standards before being deployed in hospitals and clinics. The amendments also create a framework for a more responsive regulatory system that can operate independently of previous EU-aligned structures.
The Health Bill will now move to the House of Lords, where peers will provide further scrutiny and may propose additional amendments before the legislation can receive Royal Assent and pass into law.
