Major trust’s CEO appointed DHSC director

Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust chief executive Julian Hartley has been appointed a non-executive director at the Department of Health and Social Care.

It is highly uncommon for a serving NHS CEO to be appointed as a DHSC NED.

Mr Hartley said: “I look forward to bringing my experience of many years of NHS leadership; in particular the importance of patient-centred improvement and staff engagement to inform the work of the Departmental Board.

”I am also keen to support the department’s wider priorities as we recover from the significant impact of covid-19 on our wider health and care system.”

Mr Hartley joined LTH in 2013 after having previously led three other acute trusts. He was closely involved in the development of NHS England’s “People Plan” in 2019.

The DHSC’s other non-executive directors include barrister Kate Lampard, retail executive Gerry Murphy, and director of the Natural History Museum and former Amazon UK “country manager” Doug Gurr.