NHS England’s chief executive Amanda Pritchard has resigned and will stand down from the role at the end of next month.
The commissioner said that after discussions with health secretary Wes Streeting ‘over recent months’, Ms Pritchard has ‘formally’ notified NHSE’s board that she will stand down at the end of this financial year.
NHS England’s director for elective recovery Sir James Mackey, currently chief executive of Newcastle Hospitals, will be taking over as transition CEO of NHS England for the next month, before taking up post formally on April 1.
Mr Pritchard’s resignation comes during the consultation on the NHS 10-year plan and after a period of intense criticism of the management of the health service, including from influential MPs.
Last month, Ms Pritchard and chief financial officer Julian Kelly were grilled by MPs about their response to a report from the Public Accounts Committee which concluded there had been a lack of ‘fresh thinking’ and ‘decisive action’ to meet policy ambitions to shift funding away from hospital to the community.
The report recommended that year on year NHS England should ensure a ‘greater proportion’ of its funding is spent in the community, including general practice, ‘in line with its own policy ambition’.
After the session, Health and Social Care Select Committee chair Layla Moran said they had been left ‘disappointed and frustrated’.
Today, Ms Pritchard said that she believed ‘now is the right time’ to leave the post. She said: ‘It has been an enormous privilege to lead the NHS in England through what has undoubtedly been the most difficult period in its history.
‘I am immensely proud of the NHS response to Covid-19, and how we have delivered steady recovery from the inevitable impacts of the pandemic – with performance in urgent and emergency care, elective and cancer all improving over the past two years, while NHS teams delivered record levels of activity in primary care, community and mental health services, meaning millions more appointments for patients.
‘While it has been a hugely difficult decision for me to stand down, I believe now is the right time – with the NHS making continued progress in our recovery, and with the foundations firmly in place to deliver the 10 Year Health Plan.
‘The NHS is full of extraordinary people, who do extraordinary things every day for patients. The achievements I have listed above, and many more, are theirs – and I am confident they will continue to achieve incredible things for patients now, and into the future.’
Ms Pritchard has been chief executive of NHS England since August 2021 and chief operating officer since 2019 and the first woman to hold the position.
Having joined the NHS in 1997 through the management training scheme, Ms Pritchard has held a variety of positions in the health services, including seven years as head of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
She also served as health team leader in the Cabinet Office’s delivery unit under Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Mr Streeting said: ‘Amanda can be enormously proud of the leadership she has given in the face of the biggest health emergency for our country in modern history, as well as steering NHS England during turbulent political waters and six secretaries of state in her time as Chief Executive. She has led with integrity and unwavering commitment.
‘The start of the next financial year and the publication of the 10 Year Plan for Health will be pivotal moments on the road to reform. We will also require a new relationship between the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England.
‘I am delighted that Jim Mackey has agreed to step up to provide new leadership for a new era for the NHS. He knows the NHS inside out, can see how it needs to change, and will work with the speed and urgency we need.’
Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of The King’s Fund, said that leading the NHS is ‘one of the most important public sector jobs in our country’ and that Ms Pritchard oversaw much of the covid recovery process and highlighted the publication of the first long term workforce plan for the NHS and rolling out ‘huge developments’ in the NHS app as positive improvements during her tenure.
‘Amanda is passionate about the needs of NHS staff and patients, understands the challenges the NHS faces, and has strived to make the healthcare system better in extremely difficult financial and operational circumstances.
‘The decision for new leadership comes at an extremely critical time for the NHS. Over the past few months, NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care have been working closely together to prepare the forthcoming 10 Year Plan to reform the NHS. It is crucial that the two organisations continue to work well together but equally important that NHS leaders retain operational and clinical independence for the day-to-day running of the service, ‘ she said.
Lord Ara Darzi, who led the independent investigation of the NHS in England, said: ‘I have known Amanda since she was at Chelsea and Westminster over 20 years ago and I can say that she has always been a true champion of the NHS.
‘There is absolutely no doubt that Amanda has led the NHS through its most difficult periods in recovering from the shock of the pandemic – she should be immensely proud of the exceptional leadership she has shown during this time.’
Chief executive of the NHS Confederation, Matthew Taylor thanked Ms Pritchard and said: ‘During her tenure, she has helped the NHS to navigate pivotal moments including the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recovery efforts, the advent of integrated care systems and primary care networks, the NHS’s first workforce strategy and dealing with the impact of industrial action and significant funding boosts. As the first woman in the NHS’s history to hold this post, her appointment was a landmark occasion for the sector and its staff.
‘While her role has seen her face many challenges, including constraints on capital, rising demand for services and ill-health, the large-scale restructuring of NHS England, and navigating six health secretaries, her commitment to the service has been evident in everything she has done.’
A version of this article was originally published by our sister title Pulse
