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NHS England Chair Resigns Following Meeting with Wes Streeting

Has Streaking's intentions to shift national healthcare in England away from hospitals to ill-health prevention, primary care, and community care run by the 42 Integrated Care Boards that have replaced the NHS in England; been the cause of NHS England Chair Richard Meddings to resign?

Richard Meddings’ departure will make way for the new government to recruit a new NHSE chair to oversee delivery of its priorities and 10-year health plan which has already been formulated by the heads of private healthcare companies and interests, some of whom have donated £193,000 to Streeting himself!

The Heath Services Journal reports Mr Meddings as sending a message to staff following his meeting with Streeting. In it he says:

“As I approach three years in the role and having had discussions with the health secretary about what the NHS and social care will need over the next 10 years to make the shift to prevention, primary and community care a reality, I have decided that now is the right time for me to step down as chair.

This has been a very difficult decision. The role of NHS England chair has been one of the most personally satisfying, demanding and challenging positions I’ve ever had.”

In his meeting with Wes Streeting it is reported that he made it clear he wanted to stay in post, but the background to this is that Streeting made it clear he has full faith in Amanda Pritchard NHS England Chief Executive, but did not mention Meddings at all, and he clearly wants to put in place someone who he trusts or maybe even one of his donors!

Furthermore, in true Starmer fashion it is clear from previous media statements, Streeting is hell bent on his plans to ensure healthcare in England is run by private companies and that any demands otherwise and any demands for him to repeal the two NHS privatisation Acts of 2012 and 2022, will never be listened to!

In all likelihood someone from within the five private companies making up the Tory Government's NHS committee, may well be in the promotion line!

This is evident from Streeting's letter to Meddings accepting his resignation and written in unnecessary terms criticising those who are against private sector persons heading NHS England:

"There is no doubt in my mind that your decades of experience in financial services has offered the NHS valuable skills and insights that have been hugely impactful through a period of substantial challenges.

Moreover, it is a riposte to those cynics who believe that a deep commitment to public service is the sole preserve of those who work in public services."

Alan Milburn who was Tony Blair's privatisation guru of NHS privatisation and responsible for the European chief of the US private healthcare company United Health being appointed as advisor to the Blair Government prior to being made head of the NHS, is set to be on the DHSC Board and so some think he is unlikely to replace Meddings at NHS England.

Question is who will take his place and was Mr Meddings pushed?

Source: HSJ / NHS England / unionsafety

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