Exclusive: Commissioning board appoints long term conditions lead

Dr McShane trained as a doctor, and in general and vascular surgery, before entering general practice and working as a GP for 14 years. He took on primary care leadership positions, before becoming a primary care trust chief executive.

He is also a member of both the National Patient Safety Forum the Department of Health strategy unit Forward Thinking group.

Dr McShane told HSJ: “I’m thrilled and feel it is a great honour, I will work closely with colleagues across the clinical domains to ensure clinical leadership is at the heart of the NHS Commissioning Board.”

He said the “experience of clinical practice” would help him “listen and understand what will support professionals to deliver the best for patients”.

HSJ understands the board valued Dr McShane’s combination of clinical experience and knowledge of senior level NHS leadership and management.

Dr McShane is the second of the five directors of the domains of the NHS Outcomes Framework to be appointed. Long term conditions care is “domain two”. HSJ yesterday revealed Sir Mike Richards’s appointment as the lead for domain one, related to reducing mortality from avoidable death.

The senior clinical posts on the board have so far been open only to those at risk of redundancy in primary care trusts, strategic health authorities and the DH.

However, HSJ understands the medical director Sir Bruce Keogh intends to advertise outside of the pools for the position of deputy medical director, who will be the organisation’s lead GP.

It is thought advertising outside for that role will be a signal the board is a “new organisation which works in a different way”, and reflect the importance of the role, HSJ understands.