, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care,
has today confirmed Dr Penny Dash will be the new Chair
of NHS England.
Dr Dash is currently the Chair of the NHS North-West London
Integrated Care Board and is leading a major review into the
regulation of health and social care quality in England. Her
interim report, published last year, shone a light on the scale
of the failure at the Care Quality Commission, and sparked the
appointment of new leadership to turn around the health and care
regulator.
A former NHS doctor, senior partner at McKinsey and Company
working on healthcare globally, and Head of Strategy at the
Department of Health and Social Care, Dr Dash has a wealth of
experience in the public, private and government
sectors.
As Chair of NHS England, she will be drawing on her vast
knowledge in these fields to focus on rebuilding the NHS as part
of the government's 10 Year Health Plan.
She was selected following an open public appointment process to
appoint a successor to Richard Meddings, who is due to step down
next month.
Health and Social Care Secretary said:
I am delighted to confirm Dr Penny Dash as the new Chair
of NHS England. She is a radical reformer, with the skills and
experience we need to help fix our broken NHS and make it fit for
the future.
I look forward to working with her as we continue to tackle the
waiting list backlog, unleash innovation in health services, and
support our healthcare staff to deliver the timely care patients
deserve.
I would also like to thank Richard Meddings for his dedicated
service, helping to guide the NHS through the aftermath of the
pandemic.
Dr Penny Dash said:
I am honoured to have been appointed the new Chair
of NHS England.
I am excited to start working with my NHS colleagues and the
government to accelerate the process of renewal and rebuilding to
make sure the NHS continues to serve the needs of its communities
and its staff.
The 10 Year Health Plan is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to
shape the NHS to take on the challenges of the future and I look
forward to playing my part.
Dr Dash was confirmed as the government's preferred candidate in
February. The Secretary of State took the final decision
following a hearing with the Health and Social Care Committee on
26 February 2025.
This appointment is a four-year term and begins 1 April 2025.
