Amanda Pritchard, the primary feminine chief govt of the NHS in England, is stepping down from the position.
Her departure comes lower than a month after two influential Home of Commons committees mentioned her suitability to guide the NHS via a interval of what Prime Minister Keir Starmer has mentioned would be the greatest overhaul of the service.
In an announcement Ms Pritchard mentioned it had been a “vastly troublesome determination for me to face down”.
“It has been an unlimited privilege to guide the NHS in England via what has undoubtedly been probably the most troublesome interval in its historical past.”
She took up the put up in 2021 in the course of the Covid pandemic.
Earlier than that, she was NHS England’s chief working officer, head of Man’s and St Thomas’ NHS Belief in London and an adviser in Tony Blair’s authorities.
Ms Pritchard mentioned that having mentioned it with the Secretary of State for Well being and Social Care over current months – and now that the NHS has turned a nook on restoration from the pandemic and the foundations are in place to make the required adjustments to the centre to greatest assist the broader NHS – it was the fitting time to face down.
She added: “We all the time knew the restoration interval after a once-in-a-century pandemic was going to be extremely difficult, and while the timeliness and expertise of care remains to be not adequate for too many individuals, the NHS has achieved a fantastic deal within the face of historic strain because of a relentless concentrate on innovation and reform.”
Well being Secretary Wes Streeting thanked her for her integrity and unwavering dedication.
He mentioned: “Amanda might be enormously happy with the management she has given within the face of the largest well being emergency for our nation in trendy historical past, in addition to steering NHS England throughout turbulent political waters and 6 secretaries of state in her time as chief govt.”
Richard Meddings, chairman of NHS England, described it as “an enormous loss” for the NHS.
“Below her management, the NHS has delivered an enormous quantity for sufferers – within the face of pandemic restoration, unprecedented strikes and consecutive even busier winter intervals, the NHS has continued to enhance efficiency, reform and innovate”, he mentioned.
Ms Pritchard has come beneath intense scrutiny in current weeks.
The general public accounts committee mentioned that she, her deputy, Julian Kelly, and two senior civil servants on the Division of Well being and Social Care have been “complacent” and lacked dynamism.
MPs on the Well being and Social Care Committee mentioned they have been upset and annoyed by the “prolonged and diffuse solutions” she and different officers gave them beneath questioning.
Final week, when challenged on the problem, she instructed BBC Breakfast “we’re not all sensible performers at committee hearings, but it surely’s completely proper that we’re scrutinised by Parliament.”
NHS England has introduced that Sir James Mackey, at the moment chief govt of Newcastle Hospitals, will probably be taking on as interim head of NHS England and can work carefully with Ms Pritchard for the following month earlier than taking on put up formally in April.
Her successor, Sir James, mentioned he was honoured to be main the well being service via the following section “as we radically reshape the position of NHS England and work with the federal government to construct an NHS that’s match for the long run via the 10-year well being plan”.
