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NHS Commissioning Board confirms five directors

06/02/12

Five NHS Commissioning Board executive directors have been appointed, including Ian Dalton in the key role of chief operating officer.

The board has confirmed the appointment of:

• Chief operating officer – Ian Dalton (currently NHS North of England SHA cluster chief executive)
• National director: Commissioning development – Dame Barbara Hakin (currently national managing director of commissioning development)
• National director: Improvement and transformation – Jim Easton (currently national director for improvement and efficiency)
• National director: Policy, corporate development and partnership – Bill McCarthy (currently managing director, NHS Commissioning Board Authority)
• Chief of staff – Joanne Wass (currently NHS chief of staff)

Ian Dalton’s post as chief operating officer is the only one of the five that has board voting rights, and he will lead the commissioning board’s largest division. Indeed, the operations directorate will include 200 staff in regional sector offices, and 2,500 in around 50 local board offices.

Operations will be responsible for much direct commissioning, overseeing finance and performance, and overseeing clinical commissioning groups.

Sir David Nicholson has already been named as the board’s chief executive and current NHS medical director, Sir Bruce Keogh, will be the board’s medical director.

The process for appointment of a chief nursing officer and national director of patient and public engagement, insight and informatics is underway. Paul Taylor is currently acting as finance director, but it is expected that a permanent appointment will also be made in coming months.

In a statement, David Nicholson said:

‘I am delighted to announce these key appointments to join Sir Bruce Keogh, national medical director, on our senior leadership team.

‘Each individual brings a wealth of experience and professional knowledge that, combined together, gives us a truly outstanding team to take the NHS forward. With this calibre of skills and expertise we have the greatest opportunity to develop the NHS Commissioning Board into a strong, patient-focused and clinically-led organisation that is absolutely driven by the single vision of improving quality and patient outcomes.’

It is thought that the salaries of all 10 executive directors will total around £1.7 million.