Cut NHS red tape and boost productivity to prevent 20,000 early deaths a year in England, report urges

The NHS in England could prevent 20,000 deaths and save £33bn a year by cutting red tape and boosting productivity, a report says.

Research by the Health Foundation found the health service has been held back for decades by excessive regulation, short-term planning and insufficient capability to deliver major change.

But rewiring the NHS, the world’s largest single healthcare system, by harnessing new technology, empowering staff and increasing capital investment could save both lives and money, it found.

There is “substantial scope to improve outcomes within the funding already available to the NHS”, which could result in up to four extra years of good health for people on average, the report said.

In terms of where deaths could be prevented, focusing on diagnosing cancer earlier and finding people with high blood pressure or conditions such as diabetes quicker would be key, it added.

The report called for a series of changes, such as releasing the NHS from unnecessary regulation, reporting and compliance tasks, as well as launching a “test-and-learn” approach to scaling up things that could improve productivity, such as use of artificial intelligence.

“Our analysis suggests that if the NHS in England achieved outcomes closer to the best-performing comparable health systems, without spending more each year, it could potentially result in 18,500–20,600 fewer deaths each year from treatable causes and 2.5 to 4.5 additional years that people spend in good health on average,” the report said.

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Source: The Guardian, 22 September 2026