NHS England names new executive team to lead transition
NHS England has today announced the incoming team who will help lead the organisation’s transition into the Department of Health and Social Care.
The team – called the NHS Transformation Executive Team – will replace the current NHS England Executive Group and will support ongoing business priorities, statutory functions and day to day delivery.
Except for the deputy chief executive officer, all colleagues will be in post on 1 April 2025 to support this critical work.
The new team – drawn from the existing executive and the wider NHS on secondment – has been appointed following discussion with the Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care senior officials, incoming chair Dr Penny Dash and NHS England’s Board. All appointments are subject to the approval of the Board. Permanent recruitment and appointments will be made when the future form and structure is more clear.
The roles of chief operating officer and chief delivery officer will no longer exist in the transformation structure, and under the new team there will be two co-medical directors, alongside new posts – a financial reset and accountability director and elective care, cancer and diagnostics director.
When they join, Glen Burley, Mark Cubbon and David Probert will continue to do their trust roles alongside their new roles on the Transformation Executive Team.
Professor Stephen Powis will remain in post as national medical director until early July and will work with Meghana Pandit and Claire Fuller over the coming weeks to finalise arrangements for the medical directorate.
Regional directors will report into Jim Mackey as Chief Executive, as will Navina Evans (Chief Workforce, Training and Education Officer) and Chris Hopson (Chief Strategy Officer), and a new substantive chief digital officer will be recruited as soon as possible.
A summary of the current arrangements is included in the table below.
NHS Transformation Executive Team
| Role | Responsibilities | Name |
| Chief Executive Officer | Overall accountability and leadership of the organisationTemporarily for a short period and until further notice:HR, OD and corporate operationsprivacy, transparency and trustlegalcorporate governancePerformance and Delivery Unitinquiriesmental health, learning disability and autism | Sir James Mackey |
| Deputy CEO | Arrangements to be confirmed | David Probert |
| Co-Medical Director – Secondary Care | Responsibilities to be confirmed | Meghana Pandit |
| Co-Medical Director – Primary Care | Responsibilities to be confirmed | Claire Fuller |
| Chief Nursing Officer | Chief midwifery officer People and communities Professional and system leadership Nursing policy and strategy Quality, sustainability and innovation Clinical innovation | Duncan Burton |
| Chief Financial Officer | Specialised commissioning Medicines values and access New Hospitals Programme Operational finance Strategic finance Commercial (inc NHS Estates and Facilities) including relationship with SCCL where NHS England is the sole shareholder | Elizabeth O’Mahony |
| Financial Reset Director and Accountability Director | Working with CEO and Board, engaging with NHS England leaders, to work alongside the chief financial officer to ensure the financial reset delivers its objectives, and also moves smoothly into the new regime initiated by 10-Year Health Plan.Intensive support to challenged systems System architecture and development | Glen Burley |
| Elective Care, Cancer and Diagnostics Director | Elective care Cancer Diagnostics and transport | Mark Cubbon |
| Clinical Transformation Director | Director of pathways and NHS IMPACT Clinical improvement GIRFT Programme Transformation strategy, finance and delivery National live digital and data services and platforms Digital transformation Research and development Innovation and life sciences Data and analytics | Vin Diwakar |
| Urgent and Emergency Care Director | Urgent and emergency care Discharge and intermediate care Emergency preparedness, response and resilience Operational improvement | Sarah-Jane Marsh |
| National Director of Primary Care and Community Services | Primary care Community care Vaccination programmes Screening programmes Child health information services | Dr. Amanda Doyle |
| Regional Directors (x7) | Regional directors will report into the chief executive and maintain current responsibilities. | Anne Eden (South East)Claire Panniker (East)Dale Bywater (Midlands)Fiona Edwards (North East and Yorkshire)Louise Shepherd (North West)Caroline Clarke (London)Sue Doheny (acting) (South West) |