Former US healthcare giant boss to be new NHS chief executive

Simon Stevens, ex- Tony Blair adviser and former boss of a US healthcare giant, is the new NHS chief executive.

11:53 24 October 2013

Simon Stevens has been appointed as the new NHS chief executive. The 47-year-old is Tony Blair’s former adviser and has spent a decade at the top of an American private healthcare giant.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt welcomed Stevens, who is known to be the architect of Labour’s health restructurings, saying he’s a “reformer and an innovator.”

Stevens left the UK in 2004 and worked for UnitedHealth in the United States.

In light of NHS spending pressures, it was revealed that the new chief executive will take a 10 per cent voluntary pay cut for one year on the advertised salary of £211,000. He will take over from Sir David Nicholson, NHS chief executive since 2006.

In a statement issued by NHS England, Mr Stevens said: “The next five years are going to be extremely challenging for the NHS, but compassionate high quality care for all is as vital as ever.

“It will be a privilege to lead NHS England – at a time when the stakes have never been higher – because I believe in the NHS, and because I believe that a broad new partnership of patients, carers, staff and the public can together chart a successful future for our health service.”