NHS England has announced that CEO Amanda Pritchard (pictured) will be stepping down in March at the end of this financial year.
James Mackey will be taking over as transition CEO of NHS England, working closely with Pritchard for the next month before taking up the post formally on 1 April.
Pritchard has been CEO since August 2021 and chief operating officer since 2019, leading the NHS through what is widely believed to be the most challenging period in its 76-year history.
The NHS said Pritchard decided now was the right time to stand down, having discussed it with Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting over recent months – “now that the NHS has turned a corner on recovery from the pandemic and the foundations are in place to make the necessary changes to the centre to best support the wider NHS.”
During Pritchard’s time as CEO, the NHS responded to the Omicron wave of Covid-19, published the first ever NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and struggled with the impacts of the pandemic – including a growing wait list, that has recently shown signs of declining.
The NHS said that under her leadership, NHS England had also reduced its headcount by more than a third and made savings of nearly £500 million to reinvest in frontline care.
The NHS said she had also overseen reforms in the Health and Care Act 2022, major improvements in the NHS’ digital infrastructure, including far more services available through the NHS App and the rollout of virtual wards; and the forging of partnerships to improve care options for patients, including the NHS Genomic Medicine Strategy, the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad, and CAR-T cancer therapies.
The first woman in the health service’s history to hold the post of CEO, Pritchard began her NHS career as a graduate management trainee in 1997 and has held a variety of other NHS management positions.
Before joining NHS England in 2019, Pritchard served as CEO of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, was previously deputy CEO at Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust and also served as a health team leader in the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit.
On secondment
Mackey will step in on a secondment basis, with a remit to radically reshape how NHS England and DHSC work together. To ensure a smooth transition, he will work closely with Amanda until the end of her time in post.
Mackey is currently the CEO of Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and National Director of Elective Recovery.
He has previous experience of national leadership within the NHS – including his previous tenure as CEO of NHS Improvement.
Integrity and unwavering commitment
Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, 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.
“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.”
Incredibly challenging
Pritchard 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.
“We always knew the recovery period after a once-in-a-century pandemic was going to be incredibly challenging, and whilst the timeliness and experience of care is still not good enough for too many people, the NHS has achieved a great deal in the face of historic pressure thanks to a relentless focus on innovation and reform.
“From the rollout of Community Diagnostic Centres and mental health teams in schools, to world leading cancer vaccines and the development of the App, the NHS now feels very different to when I became chief executive over three and a half years ago.
“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”.
An honour to lead
Mackey said: “I have always been very proud to work for the NHS and it will be an honour to lead the service through the next phase as we radically reshape the role of NHS England and work with the Government to build an NHS that is fit for the future through the 10 Year Health Plan.
“The NHS has experienced the most challenging period in its history – not only the shock of the pandemic but picking up the pieces after.
“Amanda has done an extraordinary job of leading the NHS through this difficult period.
Huge loss for the NHS
Richard Meddings, chairman of NHS England, said: “While I understand Amanda’s wish to stand down to facilitate the reshaping of the roles and relationship between NHSE and the DHSC, this is a huge loss for the NHS.
“Under her leadership, the NHS has delivered a huge amount for patients – in the face of pandemic recovery, unprecedented strikes and consecutive even busier winter periods, the NHS has continued to improve performance, reform and innovate.
“And the NHS in England today is delivering record levels of healthcare as it faces ever increasing demand.
“Not only that but Amanda has driven forward significant productivity improvements and made billions of pounds of savings for taxpayers.
“Amanda is without doubt one of the most skilled and driven people I have had the privilege to work with and I wish her every success for the future.”
Played a critical role
Former NHS England CEO Simon Stevens, reflecting on his time working alongside Amanda Pritchard, said: “Having been a widely respected chief executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals, Amanda then agreed to step up and serve as NHS chief operating officer and subsequently CEO under some of the most demanding circumstances the Health Service has ever faced.
“I am personally hugely grateful for her outstanding leadership as my deputy during Covid, when she played such a critical role in successfully leading the NHS through the pandemic.”
