Simon Stevens appointed as the Chief Executive of the NHS in England

Simon Stevens has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of the NHS in England and will start in his post in April 2014. Stevens is the Executive Vice President of UnitedHealth Group and President for Global Health. He has been based in the USA in recent years. He has formerly worked as a NHS manager in England and as an adviser to Tony Blair when he as Prime Minister. Professor Malcolm Grant, Chairman of NHS England, said that Mr Stevens was the best man for the job because he could bring experience from many different models of healthcare delivery. His appointment has brought a mixed reaction in England. Many people view his appointment as NHS Chief Executive as a positive step, viewing him as someone who will bring innovative ideas and ways of working. Others are more wary and are concerned he may push further marketization and models of healthcare delivery derived from the USA.

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