Our very own Russell Cake (founder of The PSC) worked with Amanda at the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit in the Blair years. The Delivery Unit - much copied in years since - was responsible for targeted change in core policy areas. Russell has described it (in our podcast on Delivery Units) as an incubator for new ideas and a way to target a small number of measurable and actionable goals, with real results. Amanda’s involvement bodes well for an NHS that’s in a state of flux perhaps not seen before in our lifetimes. Action is needed, and she has experience delivering.

The new head of the NHS has dedicated her entire career to the health service. We've worked directly with Amanda in her role as Chief Executive, and earlier Chief Operating Officer, at Guy’s And St Thomas’ Foundation Trust. In that capacity we’ve seen firsthand the depth of her experience and knowledge of how to make systems flourish in service of better outcomes for patients. This is vital given the challenges faced by the health service in the current crisis and the unstable times that lie ahead.

It’s for that reason there will be those that say she’s the safe pair of hands that the NHS needs right now, and we’d agree to an extent. But, at least from our vantage point, Amanda’s track record in delivering change points to something rather more than a static strategy for the new leader of the NHS.

We’ll leave the last words to Russell Cake, who said of his ex-Delivery Unit colleague: "Amanda is taking on a challenging job at a hugely challenging time. She will use her excellent insights, steel and drive well to be a fantastic leader".