Health and Social Care Committee approves appointment of Richard Meddings as NHSE Chair

MPs have confirmed the appointment of Richard Meddings as the new Chair of NHS England following his appearance before the Health and Social Care Committee.

The Government’s preferred candidate, currently the proposed Chair of the U.K. subsidiary of Credit Suisse and a former Chair of TSB Bank group, was questioned on a range of areas including tackling the backlog following the covid-19 pandemic and long-term workforce planning, as well as his lack of specific experience of the health and social care sectors.

Health and Social Care Committee Chair Jeremy Hunt MP said: 

“We recognise that Richard Meddings has an impressive career in financial services, and he brings a useful independent perspective.

“However, his performance at certain points of our pre-appointment hearing was not strong with particular weakness on social care, an area he will need to get up to speed with quickly.

“We approve his appointment as Chair of NHS England but it was not a unanimous view of the Committee.”