New NHS CEO expected to ‘drive digital transformation’

The new NHS CEO will be expected to “drive digital transformation” across the entire health service.

Job specifications released last week reveal the successful candidate will take on four key responsibilities, with the need for wider digital transformation forming a more prominent part of the role.

Applicants will need a proven record of “leading a large complex organisation through transformational change, employing digital technologies and innovation”.

Other key responsibilities include leading the NHS; leading NHS England and Improvement; and representing the NHS with stakeholders including parliament, the media and regulators.

Simon Stevens, the current chief executive of the NHS, announced in April 2021 he would be standing down from the role at the end of July.

The NHS is currently recruiting for his successor with the aim to have a replacement ready to step into the job from 31 July.

The NHS is “rapidly changing” with enhanced digital transformation and data skills needed within all areas of the health service to successfully meet the needs of the patient, the job specification states.

Steven’s successor will be expected to embed integration through “more effective data sharing” to enable the digital transformation of care pathways.

Moving from the “grateful patient” to the “empowered consumer” will also be front and centre of the new chief’s priorities with the NHS App as a “front door” as well as “giving better access to digital tools and patient records for staff, and improving the planning and delivery of services based on the analysis of patients and population data”.

They will also be expected to help implement the government’s white paper for health and care, which aims to deliver a more joined up health service with less bureaucratic processes.

Applications for the new NHS CEO are open until midnight on 14 June, 2021.