STEPHEN HAWKING was among claimants to secure an early victory in the High Court today against a “devastating” planned restructuring of the NHS.

A judge agreed to limit the costs of their judicial review of accountable care organisations being given responsibility for providing NHS services, which the renowned astrophysicist and his fellow campaigners say is unlawful.

They submit the proposals would see decisions made “under a contract with a single entity that has  no statutory function and could take any form (including private, for-profit).”