John Quinn, the current interim NHS England CIO, is set to be confirmed as the new NHS England CIO, following a lengthy recruitment process.
Digital Health News understands that Quinn, who was previously executive director of IT operations and enterprise services at NHS Digital, was chosen following a close selection race.
Prior to joining NHS Digital Quinn had eight years in digital leadership roles at MHRA.
Dr Tim Ferris, national director of transformation at NHS England, said: “John has led significant digital transformations throughout his career, and so brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role of Chief Information Officer.
“I’ve found John’s measured, insightful, and outcomes-oriented approach to problem solving invaluable since he joined NHS England.
“I know the whole team will continue to value his wise and caring leadership style, as we adopt the latest technology to transform the NHS and improve care for patients.”
Quinn, who spent the earlier part of his career in the Department for Education in Digital, Technology, Project Delivery and Knowledge Management roles, took over as interim CIO following the decision by Simon Bolton, former CEO of NHS Digital and interim CIO designate at NHS England, to step down in January as the organisation was taken over by NHS Digital.
Quinn, who is a keynote speaker at Digital Health Summer Schools in July, faces a daunting in-tray as NHS England slashes staff numbers, particularly among former NHS Digital staff. He will also have to navigate the political hot potato of the contentious Federated Data Platform programme.
The wider challenge he will face is to find ways to harness digital and data to support NHS recovery with very little national money available for investment.
The other final candidate is thought to have been Beverley Bryant, CDIO at Guys and St Thomas’. Bryant is thought to have only been available to start after the £500m Apollo EPR programme.
23 June 2023 @ 17:43
Give him a chance, please!
I worked for John briefly during which he showed leadership which was inclusive, thoughtful, and inspiring. He’s a world away from most of his peers. I wish him the very best of luck in a difficult role.
22 June 2023 @ 11:53
What proven delivery was taken into account by this appointment I wonder? Face fits with leaders or actual evidence of delivery and leadership…
” The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges is.” – Warren Bennts
22 June 2023 @ 11:50
All the luck in the world to John I think he is going to need it. The whole process has just taken way too long with what really has been a gap in leadership during this time period. It would be great to understand why and what will stop this from being the case ‘next time’.
John’s speech at Rewired was somewhat uninspiring which I can only think was down to this process running on and on and on.
John needs a better team around him than he has now to support him, lets hope that changes soon and with people he is allowed to pick.
21 June 2023 @ 17:19
Another Interim to permanent appointment in NHS.
Hope he delivers better compared to his MHRA job where he was not offered a CTO job following a restructure even though he was there for many years.