NHS Chief quits post

Sir Nigel Crisp has resigned from his post as Chief Executive of the NHS and Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health.

He will step down at the end of this month.

He is to take early retirement after more than five years in office, during which he oversaw the implementation of the first half of the government’s ten-year NHS Plan.

In a message to NHS and departmental staff, Sir Nigel said: "I have been privileged to serve as Chief Executive of the NHS and Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health for more than five years. So it is with pride, as well as sadness, that I announce my retirement.

"Looking back over the last five years, I am proud that the NHS has achieved or exceeded the challenging targets it has been set. Over this period, people have made enormous changes in the NHS.”

Sir Nigel also acknowledged the difficulties the NHS has faced under his stewardship, most notably a huge budgetary overspend. He said: "Not everything has gone well. I am particularly saddened by the difficulties we have had over the last few months and the financial problems we are grappling with. As Chief Executive, I wish to acknowledge my accountability for problems just as I may take some credit for achievements.”

Patricia Hewitt, Health Secretary, said: "Sir Nigel has served the NHS and the Department of Health with great distinction. I have enjoyed working with him since I became Secretary of State, and I am very grateful to him for driving the huge improvements we have seen in patient care over the last five years.

"As a result of Sir Nigel's efforts, the Department has become a role model for the successful delivery of public services. On a personal level I regret his decision announced today, but I respect his integrity and wish him well for the future."

Following Sir Nigel's retirement, Sir Ian Carruthers will become Acting Chief Executive of the NHS, and Hugh Taylor will become Acting Permanent Secretary of the Department.

Welcoming the division of Sir Nigel’s jobs, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Steve Webb said: "Sir Nigel Crisp occupied two fundamentally incompatible roles, as both Chief Executive of the NHS and Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health.

"It is quite right that these roles will now be split. The NHS sometimes has to tell the government that its policy is damaging the health service, and Sir Nigel was put in an impossible position in this respect.

"His departure makes way for this conflict to be resolved."

James Johnson, chairman of the BMA, commenting on the news, said: "It is not for us to comment on individuals at the Department of Health. There are clearly problems in the NHS and we look forward to working with his successors to help tackle these problems in the most appropriate way."

(GB/KMcA)