The NHS Commissioning Board had appointed a deputy medical director for primary care, HSJ has learned.

Mike Bewick, currently NHS North of England medical director, will be England’s most senior GP with formal responsibility for primary care.

Dr Bewick was previously NHS Cumbria medical director for primary care. Cumbria has been an area with well developed involvement of GPs in commissioning for several years. He was a GP partner in Cumbria until 2007.

Dr Bewick’s appointment is expected to be announced alongside several new national clinical directors today or tomorrow.

He is expected to focus on reform of primary care services, improving quality, and the move to seven day working. He will also be responsible for revalidation.

He will work alongside Steve Field, also a GP, who is deputy medical director with responsibility for health inequalities. Inequality and improving access for poorly served individuals has been a focus of Professor Field’s career.

Both report to medical director Sir Bruce Keogh.

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