NHS Chief Executive Appoints New NHS Medical Director, UK

Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Article Date: 07 Sep 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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The NHS Chief Executive David Nicholson announced that Professor Sir Bruce Keogh has been appointed as the new NHS medical director.

Sir Bruce, a world renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, will now take on the role of championing clinical engagement throughout the service and leading the work of the National Clinical Directors, or 'Tsars', as part of the NHS Leadership Team. He will also act as a Deputy Chief Medical Officer.

Commenting on the appointment David Nicholson said:

"The NHS is just over half way through a major programme of investment and reform, but we can only transform services if our staff understand and are engaged in what we are trying to do.

"I am delighted that Bruce Keogh has accepted the post of NHS Medical Director. This will put the Department's management of the NHS on a stronger clinical footing and support the NHS locally to provide better clinical leadership - helping to support clinicians to drive change at a local level in order to drive improvements for the benefit of patients."

Sir Bruce Keogh said:

"I'm looking forward to my new role - it's an exciting opportunity to harness the expertise, experience and talents of clinicians working on the front line to guide and implement the continuing transformation the NHS for the benefit of our patients.

"Working closely with Sir Liam Donaldson and the Department's National Clinical Directors on matters such as clinical innovation, quality and safety, the Medical Director will provide a strengthened clinical voice in the overall management of the NHS."

Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson said:

"I am very pleased to welcome Bruce to the Department of Health. I know him well and admire him greatly. Bruce will be an integral part of the Department's world class clinical leadership team and I look forward to working with him on key priorities such as patient safety and the quality of health services."

Biography of Professor Sir Bruce Keogh KBE, MD, FRCS

Specialities: Cardiac Services, Cardiothoracic services, Adult cardiac surgery, Mitral valve surgery.

Bruce Keogh worked as a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at the Hammersmith Hospital in London and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, where he was associate medical director for clinical governance and the cardiac surgical service lead, before becoming Professor of Cardiac Surgery at University College London and Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Heart Hospital.

As a CHI Commissioner he chaired the Joint CHI / Audit Commission National Service Frameworks Programme Board which reviewed the implementation of the national service frameworks. He is now a Commissioner on the Healthcare Commission where he chairs the Clinical Strategy Group. He was a member of the National Taskforce for Coronary Heart Disease and has been a member of the NHS Standing Medical Advisory Committee. He has a long standing interest in factors affecting surgical outcomes and has been intimately involved in the development of the DH / NHSIA / Healthcare Commission Central Cardiac Audit Database.

He is president of the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery of Great Britain and Ireland, President of the Cardiothoracic Section of the Royal Society of Medicine and International Director of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (USA). He is also Secretary General of the European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery and was knighted in 2003 for services to medicine.

http://www.dh.gov.uk