Writing in The Telegraph Streeting said new NHS England chair Dr Penny Dash had identified ‘hundreds of bodies cluttering the patient safety and regulatory landscape' while transformation chief executive Jim Mackey was ‘putting an end to the deficit-by-default culture that has consumed our health service'.

In typically uncompromising language, Streeting said the NHS had been formed ‘out of backside covering' and was a ‘cowardly' move to ‘avoid blame for failures in the NHS'.

The health and social care secretary said the abolition would end the ‘maddening duplication of two large national organisations that do the same jobs' and ‘will save hundreds of millions of pounds to fund better care'.

It has been reported that up to 30,000 jobs could be lost as a result of NHS England abolition and cutting ICBs costs by 50%.

Speaking on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Streeting said there would be ‘significant job losses' as part of the reforms.

ICB and healthcare leaders have warned the cuts may be a distraction and reduce their capacity to improve services.

Streeting admitted the sweeping changes would entail ‘up-front costs', admitting there was a ‘risk of disruption'.