The candidates for the post of NHS England chief executive face 10 hours of interviews and a full day of psychometric testing, HSJ has learned.

Applicants are due to be shortlisted tomorrow – after which the final selection process will be finalised. However, a number of sources close to the process have revealed the following is being proposed.

There will be a day of psychometric testing, and an initial interview with senior representatives from Number 10, the Treasury and the Cabinet Office, including Cabinet secretary Simon Case.

The shortlisted candidates will also, separately, be interviewed by those NHS England and Improvement non-executive board members who are not represented on the final panel (see below). The board will conduct these interviews in groups of three – meaning candidates may face at least two interrogations at this stage.

Unless the process is delayed because of the arrival of Sajid Javid as health secretary, the final formal interviews are due to take place in the week commencing 19 July.

The final interview panel will consist of NHS England chair Lord David Prior, vice-chair David Roberts, NHS non-executive director and former Labour health minister Lord Ara Darzi, Department of Health and Social Care permanent secretary Chris Wormald, and Number 10 senior health adviser Sam Jones. Consideration is being given to adding another NHSE NED to the interview panel – possibly Susan Kilsby.

HSJ understands that most – if not all – the interviews up to this stage will be conducted virtually.

The successful candidate would then face confirmation interviews with the health secretary and prime minister.

Sir Simon Stevens is due to step down as NHS England chief executive on 31 July.

HSJ understands the candidates still include KPMG partner Mark Britnell, NHS Improvement chair Baroness Dido Harding, Northumbria Healthcare and former NHS Improvement chief Sir Jim Mackey, NHSE deputy chief executive Amanda Pritchard, and Leeds City Council chief executive Tom Riordan.

HSJ’s sources indicate they are joined by Kevin Smith, president and CEO of the University Health Network in Canada, and that Ernst Kuipers, the leader of the Dutch Erasmus healthcare system, has also been in discussions about the role.

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