Sir John Oldham appointed to the DHSC as Strategic Adviser to the Secretary of State
Sir John Oldham has accepted a direct ministerial appointment to the Department of Health and Social Care as Strategic Adviser to the Secretary of State.
Sir John brings extensive experience of working in the health sector and will work on emerging policy to support the government to deliver more care in the community.
Lord Darzi’s 2024 independent investigation of the NHS highlighted the urgent need to transform the health and care system and move to a neighbourhood health service that delivers co-ordinated care closer to home, to create healthier communities, spot problems earlier, and support people to stay healthier and maintain their independence for longer.
Sir John is a GP by background and a pioneer in introducing quality improvement methods into the NHS. He has an international reputation for designing and delivering large-scale change programmes in health as well as in schools and with members of deprived communities.
He has been a member of the National Quality Board, chair of the Commission on Whole Person Care and non-executive board member for the Care Quality Commission, among other roles.
The appointment is a paid role, which began on 2 December 2024 and is for a 12-month period. It is not a Civil Service appointment.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, announced that he will step down this summer, after over seven years in the role.
