NHS Improvement has confirmed Jim Mackey will stand down as chief executive in autumn as they make plans to search for his replacement.
The chair of the regulator, Ed Smith will also be leaving his position to retire a year ahead of when his three-appointment term ends in July 2018, ‘to allow a new chair to be appointed in time to lead the search for a successor chief executive’.
Chair of NHS Providers, Gill Morgan said: ‘A key priority must be to complete the important process of cultural change on which NHS Improvement has embarked to ensure the entire organisation lives the values and behaviours that Ed Smith and Jim Mackey have modelled.’
Ed Smith said in a letter sent to NHS Improvement staff: ‘I have decided to retire from my NHSI role ahead of my formal end date. My decision is based on the knowledge that Jim Mackey’s [two year] secondment with NHSI will end in October and I feel strongly that it is best for the organisation – and for the wider NHS – if a new chair is in place to start the search for his successor.’
Smith will remain in post until the next chair for the regulator is found, which will be overseen by the Department of Health (DH).
