IGHI Director, Lord Darzi appointed Non-Executive Director of NHS Improvement

Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham

Lord Ara Darzi appointed as new Non-Executive Director of newly merged Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA).

We are delighted to congratulate the institute’s Director Professor the Lord Ara Darzi on his new appointment as Non-Executive Director of the new merger between Monitor and NHS TDA now known as NHS Improvement. 

Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt announced the merge in a recent King’s Fund speech.  He has appointed NHS England’s Deputy Chair Ed Smith as new Chair of the body and Lord Darzi as Non-Executive Director.  A Chief Executive is yet to be appointed.

The combined regulator will focus on supporting providers to become more efficient as well as providing higher quality care, Hunt said.

NHS England’s patient safety function led by Dr Mike Durkin will be moved to the new regulator.  He will now lead an Independent Patient Safety Investigation Scheme (IPSIS) hosted by NHS Improvement that will be based on the air accident investigation branch used by the airline industry.

Hunt said: "This will be central to the 'no blame' learning culture that has led to dramatic safety improvements in aviation - and it will do the same for healthcare."

Chief executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens, welcomed the decision and commended an era of “much greater alignment across the national bodies”.

Smith said: “I look forward to getting to grips with forging an ever closer partnership between the two organisations and our partners in the NHS. I know there are great people working at both Monitor and TDA, and I am confident that we can deliver the changes needed for the provider sector.”

Darzi said “I look forward to supporting the important work of Monitor as it forges ahead with this new and enabling partnership with the Trust Development Authority”.