Amanda Pritchard, the first female chief executive of the NHS in England, is stepping down in a move she says was a “hugely difficult decision”.
She took up the post in 2021 and was previously NHS England's chief operating officer, head of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust in London and an adviser in Tony Blair's government.
Announcing her decision, Pritchard said that there is due to be radical reform of the size and functions of NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care and that the "step change required" would be best served by new leadership.
Regular HCSA conference speaker Sir James Mackey, currently chief executive of Newcastle Hospitals, will be taking over as interim head of NHS England and will work with Pritchard for the next month before taking up post formally in April.
Date: 25 February