Stephen Powis to step down as NHS England medical director

The NHS’s top doctor in England, who played a key role in advising ministers and the public during the Covid pandemic, will stand down this summer.

Prof Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director, will have spent seven and a half years in post by the time he retires in July.

He is thought to have appeared at more of the pandemic-era daily press conferences than any other NHS or medical leader.

The 64-year-old’s departure follows last week’s resignation of Amanda Pritchard, NHS England’s chief executive, amid a radical reshaping of its relationship with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Her successor, Sir Jim Mackey, started work this week working alongside Pritchard before assuming full control of the organisation at the start of April.

Mackey is expected to initiate changes to the makeup of NHS England’s senior leadership team shortly and also oversee its shift to working much more closely with the DHSC and shrinking its 13,000-strong workforce.

More details soon …