21.04.16
New National Mental Health Director appointed
Claire Murdoch, chief executive of Central and North West London Foundation Trust, has been appointed as NHS England’s new National Mental Health Director, with responsibility for implementing the NHS’s new programme of mental health reforms.
Murdoch is a registered mental health nurse as well as a director of Imperial Academic Health Science Partnership, a non-executive director at Health Education England NW London and chair of the Cavendish Square Group.
She will be responsible for furthering the NHS programme to achieve parity between physical and mental health services following the Mental Health Taskforce’s recent report.
Murdoch said she looked forward to implementing the “exciting vision” of the report, adding: “It’s now time to press ahead with the next generation of improvement. I can’t remember a time of either greater challenge or opportunity. This is both a little daunting and very exciting.”
A National Audit Office report warned today that the government’s mental health reforms risk missing their targets.
Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind and chair of the taskforce, whom NHE interviewed in our most recent edition, welcomed the appointment.
He said: “This is a critical time for mental health and it is crucial that the taskforce recommendations are implemented quickly, as there is a lot to do across the NHS.
“Claire is one of the most experienced and respected chief executives in mental health and more widely in the NHS and I am looking forward to working with her.”