NHS leaders warn new health secretary replacing Sajid Javid is in for “big challenges” as the NHS faces a “bumpy ride”.
Number 10 could not confirm who will be making interim decisions for the NHS while a new health secretary is being decided upon.
Sajid Javid resigned from his role as health secretary on Tuesday evening saying: “I regret that I can no longer continue in good conscience.”
His resignation comes as the government faces potential nurse and junior doctor strikes over pay rises and amid a new Covid-19 wave which is placing hospitals under added pressures.
The current chief executive for the NHS is Amanda Pritchard.
Responding to the resignation of Mr Javid, Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, said: “Trust leaders thank Sajid Javid for his service, particularly in seeing through the biggest health reforms in a decade in the shape of the new Health and Social Care Act and his initiation of the Messenger review of leadership in the NHS.
“His successor faces several big and pressing challenges.
“On COVID-19, while staff continue to work flat out to reduce waiting lists and ramp up activity, the NHS is in for a bumpy ride over the next few months as it grapples with new and unpredictable variants alongside the pressures that seasonal flu may bring earlier than usual this year. This impacts all parts of the NHS, including mental health, community and ambulance services.
“All eyes will be on how the new health and social care secretary addresses major challenges including serious workforce shortages right across the NHS, the forthcoming NHS pay award amid the cost of living crisis, and the government’s New Hospitals Programme which promises to give the NHS much-needed capital investment to benefit patients and the quality of care.
“More support for an underfunded and overstretched social care system is also desperately overdue to help to ease mounting pressure in the whole health and care system.”
