Fury as banker set to become the new chairman of NHS England

A banker is set to become the new chairman of NHS England in a bid to make it more “accountable” for its funding.

The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed former TSB chairman Richard Meddings is the Government’s preferred candidate for the role on Thursday.

The Telegraph reported that ministers wanted Mr Meddings to provide an “outside eye” to make the NHS accountable for its additional funding, and said the Government was anxious to identify a “heavyweight” from the private sector with experience in digital and data, in order to help the NHS make better use of technologies.

The NHS still relies on paper records at some of its hospitals.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid has invited the Health and Social Care Committee to hold a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing with Mr Meddings.

The role of chairman with NHS England will become available when Lord Prior of Brampton steps down early next year.

80,000 customers switched accounts

The Telegraph also reported that Cabinet ministers stressed their expectation that the NHS must achieve value for money after an additional £5.5 billion was channelled towards it for the second half of 2021 and a national insurance increase is set to fund an extra £12 billion for it next year.

As chairman of TSB, Mr Meddings oversaw what he described as “its most challenging year” in 2018 when it accrued losses of £104.5 million.

The migration of its IT system cost the bank £330.2 million, with higher charges related to customer compensation, additional resources and fraud.

Around 80,000 customers switched their bank account away from TSB the same year.

Mr Meddings is also a non-executive director at HM Treasury and Credit Suisse and is the former group finance director for Standard Chartered bank.

The Department of Health and Social Care said he was selected as preferred chair after an open public appointment process.

Following the select committee hearing, it will then set out its views on his suitability for the role of chair and the Secretary of State will then consider the committee’s report before making a final decision.

Reactions

1.

Brief reminder that bankers caused the catastrophic 2008 financial crash, which led to #austerity, & now we have a banker in charge of #NHS England, a banker in charge of the @BBC, a banker as Health Secretary, & a banker as Chancellor of the Exchequer – a bunch of total bankers. https://t.co/gF9VSDiHge

— GET A GRIP (@docrussjackson) December 23, 2021

2.

The Daily Telegraph is reporting that a senior British banker is set to become the new Chair of NHS England.

They quote a Whitehall source saying the banker has "unrivalled business experience" and will "bring an outsider's eye to the NHS." I'll be fighting this in Parliament.

— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) December 24, 2021

3.

pic.twitter.com/YyXTTmDzJc

— Fletch (@Paul_Kearns01) December 24, 2021

4.

Richard Meddings, a former banker & currently a non executive director for HM Treasury, was declared yesterday as Javid’s & Sunak’s preferred candidate to be the next Chairman of NHS England.

Only the Tories could think the NHS needs a banker.

— Howard Beckett (@BeckettUnite) December 24, 2021

5.

A former TSB chairman is being lined up to chair NHS England. He'll be able to share all of his medical knowledge with the ex-banker Sajid Javid! FFS!!!

— SarahPegg 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇵🇸🇺🇦 (@sarahpegg9) December 24, 2021

6.

The NHS is a service not a business and running it like the latter is a major part of the problems the NHS has. Plus, as a TSB customer, the last five years have been Hellish and if he is going to run the NHS like TSB then that will be the final nail in the coffin.

— macheather (@FarlaneTeri) December 23, 2021

7.

Reform = privatisation, can't say we weren't warned.

— Gillian #PNEFC✊🇵🇸 (@birdboysbird) December 24, 2021

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