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"all of NHS England’s current national directors had ruled themselves out"

They're not idiots! The new system is all over the place.

This story is stating the obvious rather. You'd want to find the best person for the job, and given there aren't many people in the world who manage organisations with £80bn or so turnover in a polarised political climate, you might just have to go outside the 5 or 6 legitimate (ish) candidates in this country.

I would welcome an outsider with a track record in a different system, or even different sector. There are plenty of experienced old hands in the system already, someone fresh might be good.