Mr Hulme argues not all care needs to be delivered by a doctor or surgeon.
Some tasks, he says, can be done safely by other professionals under supervision. He cites sexual health services, now largely nurse-led, freeing doctors to focus on complex cases.
“We need to have a conversation with the professions about working in silos and whether we need all the qualifications,” he says.
He acknowledges pushback over physician associates and anaesthetic associates.
The British Medical Association – the doctors’ professional body – has raised concerns about patient safety and role clarity and pressed for clearer regulation.
A government-commissioned review by Gillian Leng backed up a number of these concerns when it reported in 2025, external.
Mr Hulme’s position? Define roles clearly, supervise properly, and let doctors concentrate on work only they can do.
On intense competition for speciality training, he says supply and demand may mean some doctors will need to rethink career plans.
Asked what he would say to politicians who claim the NHS cannot be fixed, he replies:
“If you cut me, I’d bleed blue. I love the NHS – it’s the most precious thing about living in this country.
“It’s so special we can’t afford to lose it. We can fix it, but we have to look at international best practice – and it’s down to us.”