15.12.15
DH permanent secretary Dame O’Brien to step down in April
The government’s first woman to be permanent secretary for the Department of Health, Dame Una O’Brien, has announced her intention to leave the job at the end of April 2016.
Working in this role for the last five years, O’Brien has led the department through a “defining chapter” in patient safety after the 2013 Francis report into the Mid Staffordshire NHS FT scandal.
She also helped lead a major programme to overhaul the health and care system following the major structural reforms contained in the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
“It has been and remains a huge privilege to work with so many talented and skilled colleagues at the Department of Health, with our national partner organisations, the NHS and beyond,” O’Brien commented.
“Over the last Parliament, we implemented important changes to make a positive impact on people’s lives. As we plan for the next phase of change in the department and the wider health and care system, with the Spending Review complete and the government’s plans for the Parliament set out, I feel the time will be right, next April, for me to leave.”
She said her successor will be arriving at a good time to take the reins on the department’s changes and implementations of ministers’ agendas until the end of the decade.
“And I am confident that the excellent public servants in the Department, applying this experience, will be highly capable of their role in ensuring that the health and care system continues to improve in the years ahead,” the permanent secretary added.
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt noted that, as well as her involvement in the department, O’Brien has been a part of the Civil Service for a quarter of a century.
“In that time, she has been at the centre of real and lasting improvements in the NHS, so her consistently wise advice will be much missed. She has made a huge contribution as we have worked together towards the goal of creating the safest and most compassionate health service in the world and I wish Una every success for the future,” he added.
Sir Jeremy Heywood, head of the Civil Service, also took the time to acknowledge O’Brien’s involvement in the sector, where she contributed to key issues such as talent and diversity.
(Top image c. UK Civil Service)