Top US healthcare chief to join NHS England

Timothy Ferris, who is currently an NHS Improvement non-executive director, is moving to a full time executive role, from his current role as chief executive of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, a not for profit healthcare group.

He is a primary care physician by background and has carried out extensive work on healthcare systems, improvement, and population health.

Dr Ferris will lead NHSE’s new transformation directorate, which is intended to bring together its operational improvement team and digital body NHSX. Its purpose is to maintain and improve the rapid service innovations seen during the covid-19 pandemic.

He has been a non-executive director of NHS Improvement for almost three years and been based in the US. He will move to England full time in May, on a secondment basis, and become an executive member of NHSE’s board.

The MGPO, a not-for profit provider group closely linked to the Massachusetts General Hospital, is a key part of the state’s largest healthcare system.

Dr Ferris, who practises in primary care, has also held posts as a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, as vice president of population health for Partners HealthCare, and founded the Center for Population Health, an industry partnership aimed at using prevention and data to improve health and reduce inequalities.

His appointment comes amid widespread speculation that NHSE chief Sir Simon Stevens may leave that role later this year. HSJ  revealed that the role was being created in February, and it has not been advertised. 

Praising the work of NHS staff during the pandemic, Dr Ferris said: “I’m proud and excited to take up this role as the health service integrates convenient yet cutting-edge technology into patient care. The successful NHS vaccine programme and development of new therapies for covid-19 has shown that the NHS can be hugely agile and innovative.”

NHSE chair Lord David Prior said: “The NHS has some of the most impressive and talented people in the world, and Dr Ferris has already shown as one of our NHS non-executive directors a passion for all that is best about our health service, as well as a global track record of driving practical change for the benefit of patients and communities.”

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said: “The NHS has had an extraordinary year in which our staff have innovated in response to covid-19, developing ground-breaking treatments and care. As a physician-leader with a global reputation, Dr Ferris will help drive and embed this momentum and ‘can do’ spirit, as we move beyond the pandemic.”

Matthew Gould, chief executive of NHSX, which will become part of the new directorate, said: “Dr Ferris’ appointment is excellent news for the NHS, and for driving its digitally-led transformation.”

NHSE director of improvement Hugh McCaughey said: ”The appointment of Dr Ferris, who has a successful track record of leading improvement and transformation, is exciting news and I look forward to working with him as we support the creation of a culture of continuous improvement throughout the NHS.”

NHSE declined to say today what he would be paid, but he will almost certainly take a large pay cut in moving from the US healthcare system to the NHS.