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| NHS chief to step down next year after criticism over Mid Staffs scandal | NHS chief to step down next year after criticism over Mid Staffs scandal |
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| Sir David Nicholson, the NHS chief executive caught up in the Stafford hospital scandal, has announced that he will step down from his post next March. | Sir David Nicholson, the NHS chief executive caught up in the Stafford hospital scandal, has announced that he will step down from his post next March. |
| Nicholson came under intense political pressure after publication of the Francis report, which looked at scandalous lack of care at the hospital for four years from 2005. He was briefly head of the local strategic health authority when the first of the serious concerns about Mid Staffs began to emerge. | Nicholson came under intense political pressure after publication of the Francis report, which looked at scandalous lack of care at the hospital for four years from 2005. He was briefly head of the local strategic health authority when the first of the serious concerns about Mid Staffs began to emerge. |
| Campaigners – led by Julie Bailey and Cure the NHS – whose family members died "unnecessarily" at Stafford hospital called for him to go and the Daily Mail branded him as "the man with no shame" for staying in post. | Campaigners – led by Julie Bailey and Cure the NHS – whose family members died "unnecessarily" at Stafford hospital called for him to go and the Daily Mail branded him as "the man with no shame" for staying in post. |
| Despite the pressure – some applied by Conservative cabinet ministers – Nicholson retained the support of Downing Street. The veteran of the NHS told a "surprised" Jeremy Hunt of his decision at noon and staff at NHS England were told this afternoon of his retirement. A successor will be found over the next 11 months. | Despite the pressure – some applied by Conservative cabinet ministers – Nicholson retained the support of Downing Street. The veteran of the NHS told a "surprised" Jeremy Hunt of his decision at noon and staff at NHS England were told this afternoon of his retirement. A successor will be found over the next 11 months. |
| Nicholson was appointed NHS chief executive in 2007. In the coalition's new NHS, he controlled more than £95bn of health spending. Sources say his announcement gives the chair of the NHS – Prof Malcolm Grant – time to plan an orderly succession. | |
| In a letter to Grant, Nicholson said: "I have only ever had one ambition and that is to improve the quality of care for patients. I still passionately believe in what NHS England intends to do. My hope is that by being clear about my intentions now this will give you and the board the opportunity to attract candidates of the very highest calibre so they can appoint someone who will be able to see this essential work through to its completion." | In a letter to Grant, Nicholson said: "I have only ever had one ambition and that is to improve the quality of care for patients. I still passionately believe in what NHS England intends to do. My hope is that by being clear about my intentions now this will give you and the board the opportunity to attract candidates of the very highest calibre so they can appoint someone who will be able to see this essential work through to its completion." |
| A former student communist, Nicholson wore the badge of "Stalinist" lightly. He was brought in by Labour's health secretary Patricia Hewitt when the NHS was struggling to keep its finances in order. New Labour had originally wanted a US healthcare boss to step in, but Nicholson got the top job. Surprised to be in post, he proved remarkably effective. | A former student communist, Nicholson wore the badge of "Stalinist" lightly. He was brought in by Labour's health secretary Patricia Hewitt when the NHS was struggling to keep its finances in order. New Labour had originally wanted a US healthcare boss to step in, but Nicholson got the top job. Surprised to be in post, he proved remarkably effective. |
| Under his leadership NHS spending was reined in while waiting times were brought down. He also successfully brought in a programme to tackle hospital infections. His encyclopedic knowledge of the NHS meant new health secretaries always relied heavily on his advice. When the coalition talks were under way, Nicholson occupied the health secretary's seat at the Department of Health, joking: "We are real masters now." | Under his leadership NHS spending was reined in while waiting times were brought down. He also successfully brought in a programme to tackle hospital infections. His encyclopedic knowledge of the NHS meant new health secretaries always relied heavily on his advice. When the coalition talks were under way, Nicholson occupied the health secretary's seat at the Department of Health, joking: "We are real masters now." |
| But Nicholson was faithful to his political bosses. Even when Andrew Lansley, the previous health secretary, and he did not see eye to eye over the coalition's big bang reforms of the NHS, Nicholson continued to text support to the beleaguered cabinet minister. | But Nicholson was faithful to his political bosses. Even when Andrew Lansley, the previous health secretary, and he did not see eye to eye over the coalition's big bang reforms of the NHS, Nicholson continued to text support to the beleaguered cabinet minister. |
| However, in the new structure of the NHS, it was not ministers but newly empowered civil servants who became media targets in the aftermath of the Francis report. The 57-year-old issued a full apology to "patients, relatives and carers [who] found themselves in the position where they not only had terrible things happen to them but the very organisation they looked to for support let them down in the most devastating of ways" – but this did little to assuage the anger felt. | However, in the new structure of the NHS, it was not ministers but newly empowered civil servants who became media targets in the aftermath of the Francis report. The 57-year-old issued a full apology to "patients, relatives and carers [who] found themselves in the position where they not only had terrible things happen to them but the very organisation they looked to for support let them down in the most devastating of ways" – but this did little to assuage the anger felt. |
| However, Nicholson's supporters say his decision to step down is personal – he has just become a father again. "I think we will see a liberated man … which will be interesting," said one | However, Nicholson's supporters say his decision to step down is personal – he has just become a father again. "I think we will see a liberated man … which will be interesting," said one |
| The health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, said: "Under Sir David Nicholson's leadership, NHS waiting times have fallen, infection rates reduced, and mixed-sex accommodation is at an all-time low. His job has often been incredibly complex and very difficult, and yet he has always had a reputation for staying calm, and maintaining a relentless focus on what makes a difference on the NHS frontline. I am also grateful to him for overseeing the successful setting up of NHS England and giving us an orderly period in which to select his successor." | The health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, said: "Under Sir David Nicholson's leadership, NHS waiting times have fallen, infection rates reduced, and mixed-sex accommodation is at an all-time low. His job has often been incredibly complex and very difficult, and yet he has always had a reputation for staying calm, and maintaining a relentless focus on what makes a difference on the NHS frontline. I am also grateful to him for overseeing the successful setting up of NHS England and giving us an orderly period in which to select his successor." |