Amanda Pritchard, currently Chief Executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, has been appointed as Chief Executive of NHS Improvement and the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the NHS.
This new COO post is directly accountable to the NHS Chief Executive Simon Stevens, and serves as a member of the combined NHS England /NHS Improvement national leadership team. The COO will oversee NHS operational performance and delivery, as well as implementation of the service transformation and patient care improvements set out in the NHS Long Term Plan. The COO is also accountable to the NHSI Board as NHS Improvement’s designated accountable officer with regulatory responsibility for Monitor.
Commenting on her new role, Amanda says: “It is a huge privilege to be joining NHS England and NHS Improvement at this exciting time and to have the opportunity to influence the NHS agenda and help deliver the Long Term Plan. In doing so, I know that I will draw upon my experience leading Guy’s and St Thomas’ where our strong values and focus on the needs of our patients and staff are always at the heart of decision making.”
Simon Stevens says: “This important appointment is integral to creating the newly combined NHS England and NHS Improvement, able to lead the next phase of the NHS’ development. Amanda will play a critical role in supporting further progress on quality of care, health outcomes and efficiency, as well as operational performance and delivery.”
Amanda joined the NHS through its graduate management training scheme in 1997 and has held a variety of NHS management posts since then including at West Middlesex Hospital, and as Deputy Chief Executive of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. She has also served as health team leader in the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit and is currently Chair of the Shelford Group of teaching hospitals and a trustee of the NHS Providers trade association.
In her role as Chief Executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust she has been involved in the wider health system of south east London and understands the need for new ways of working and wider integration of services beyond traditional organisational boundaries.
Chair of NHS Improvement Baroness Dido Harding says: “I’m delighted to welcome Amanda as NHS Chief Operating Officer/NHS Improvement Chief Executive. She has a fantastic track record as CEO of one of the largest Trusts and will bring tremendous leadership and operational experience as we implement the NHS Long Term Plan.”
