NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard has announced she will stand down from her post at the end of the current financial year, as health service leaders stressed the need for a “new relationship” with the Department of Health and Social Care.
Pritchard became NHS England chief in the summer of 2021 after serving as chief operating officer of the health service since 2019 – putting her at the top of the organisation throughout the whole of the Covid-19 pandemic response.
NHS England chair Richard Meddings said Pritchard was stepping down “to facilitate the reshaping of the roles and relationship between NHSE and the Department of Health and Social Care”.
Sir James Mackey, who is currently chief executive of Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust and the health service’s national director of elective recovery, is being seconded as NHSE “transition CEO”.
NHSE said his remit would be to “radically reshape” how the health service and DHSC work together. It added that Mackey would work closely with Pritchard during her remaining weeks in post “to ensure a smooth transition” in early April.
Pritchard said she had taken the “hugely difficult” decision to leave her role following discussions with health secretary Wes Streeting in recent months.
“It has been an enormous privilege to lead the NHS in England through what has undoubtedly been the most difficult period in its history,” she said. “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.”
Streeting said Pritchard could be “enormously proud” of the leadership she had given to NHS England – in a tenure that included six secretaries of state and the biggest health emergency in modern history for the nation.
“She has led with integrity and unwavering commitment,” he said. “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.”
Mackey previously served as chief executive of NHS Improvement.