NHSE national director steps down after 10 years

Dame Cally Palmer is to step down as NHS England’s national cancer director, it has been announced.

Dame Cally, who is chief executive of The Royal Marsden Foundation Trust, took on the national role in 2015. She will return to her trust role in a full-time capacity.

Her departure was announced by NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard at the national commissioner’s board meeting this afternoon.

In a message to staff, seen by HSJ, Dame Cally said it was “time to hand over to a new national cancer director”.

She said: “We have driven earlier and faster diagnosis, expanded personalised care and introduced innovative programmes such as targeted lung health checks which are reducing inequalities and saving lives…

“Today, early diagnosis rates are the highest on record and we are making real progress in meeting key cancer standards, while improving care pathways and NHS productivity.”

As CEO of The Royal Marsden for 25 years, Dame Cally is also one of the longest-serving NHS chief executives in England. She has also been one of the highest paid CEOs in recent years, receiving a salary of more than £300,000 for the dual trust-NHSE role.

However, MPs criticised NHSE during Dame Cally’s tenure for what they said was “selective reporting” of cancer statistics, prompting an angry response from the national body, as reported by HSJ in July 2023.

During her time holding both roles, she has also been involved in a long-running row over the future of children’s services in south London, in which concerns were raised about a 2015 report calling for services to be moved away from The Royal Marsden being “buried”.

NHSE has since confirmed plans to move services to Evelina London Children’s Hospital, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ FT, and final proposals are currently being considered by the health and social care secretary, after councils and MPs called on him to block the changes.