The IT chief of NHS England is to leave the position with the relevant responsibilities to be transferred to the head of the new NHSX unit.
Matthew Swindells (pictured) is to leave his role as deputy chief executive at the end of the July with plans to work in the private sector.
A further indication of the influence of NHSX has emerged with news that its chief executive will take on the IT responsibilities of the departing deputy chief executive of NHS England.
Matthew Gould, who is due to move into the role during the summer, is take on IT functions of the job. This provides a further indication of the sphere of influence for NHSX, which was recently created as a new unit within the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to set national policy, standards and a lead in procurement for NHS England in its use of technology.
The department confirmed that Swindells will be standing down from his position and that IT elements of his job will immediately be transferred to Gould’s office.
Swindells is planning to set up as an independent contractor and has indicated he will initially be working with consultancy Accenture, but will not be doing any work related to the NHS during a restricted period, the length of which has not been publicly stated.
Organisational reshaping
In a statement to NHS England staff, Swindells said: “The organisation is reshaping itself around a new integrated operating model, and I think it is time for a fresh face as chief operating officer for the first time spanning both NHS England and NHS Improvement.
“I am grateful to the tremendous group of colleagues who it has been a pleasure to work with and who have supported me across NHS England, NHS Improvement and the NHS more widely.”
Sir Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, praised his contribution, notably in overseeing the reboot of the NHS IT strategy with programmes such as the development of the NHS App and the sharing of data for patient care.
NHS England has begun to look for a new chief operating officer.
Image from NHS Improvement, Open Government Licence v3.0
