NHS England seeks interim CIO to replace John Quinn
- 27 February 2026
- NHS England is advertising for an interim CIO following the departure of John Quinn
- It is also seeking an and interim CDAO to replace Ming Tang who will leave in April
- The 12-month fixed contract roles are both advertised at a starting salary of £161,601
NHS England is seeking an interim chief information officer (CIO) following the departure of John Quinn last year.
Quinn left the CIO role in March 2025 because of “a mix of professional and personal considerations” after holding the post for two years.
At the time, NHSE said that it would be conducting a search for a permanent CIO and would put in place interim arrangements “in the coming weeks”, but the interim post has not been advertised until now.
A job advert describes the role, with a starting salary of £161,601, as “a rare opportunity for a senior leader with deep experience of large-scale digital, technology and cyber-critical environments to operate at the heart of one of the UK’s most complex and mission-critical systems”.
It adds that the chosen candidate will report to the director general for technology, digital and data, a role currently held by Jules Hunt on an interim basis, and be “accountable for the provision, resilience and evolution of digital and technology capabilities that underpin the NHS”.
NHSE says the role “carries national responsibility, significant influence, and the chance to make a tangible difference to patient care, workforce experience and value for the taxpayer”.
The interim CIO will work in close partnership with NHSE’s chief data and analytics officer (CDAO), a role which will be come available in April 2026 when Ming Tang steps down.
Leadership for national data and analytics services
A job advert for the position of interim CDAO says that the chosen candidate will “provide strategic and professional leadership for national data and analytics services, ensuring that high-quality, timely and secure data underpins clinical care, operational performance, planning, research and innovation”.
The interim CDAO position, with a starting salary of £161,601, will be “accountable for building and leading a world-class data and analytics function for NHS England and the wider health and care system,”.
They will also be responsible for “major national programmes, significant investment, and stewardship of sensitive health data on behalf of citizens”.
Both the interim CIO and interim CDAO roles are for 12-month fixed term contracts.
There have been several departures from NHSE’s digital leadership since prime minister Keir Starmer that the organisation would be abolished and brought into into the Department of Health and Social Care last year.
This week, Mike Fell, director of national cyber operations at NHSE, shared that he is stepping down in mid-May to move to Department for Work and Pensions.
Sonia Patel, chief technology officer (CTO) at NHSE, also recently announced that she will leave in March to take up the role of interim government CTO.
