News

Trust chief executive named one of most influential people in NHS - 16 November 2009

Professor Stephen Smith, chief executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, has been named as the most influential NHS trust chief executive in the country.

This year’s Health Service Journal’s (HSJ) ranking of the 50 most powerful people in NHS management policy and practice in England puts Professor Smith in 13th position – the highest-placed trust chief executive.

Professor the Lord Darzi, who is honorary Trust consultant surgeon and head of the division of surgery at Imperial College London, was ranked second.

Professor Smith, who is also principal of Imperial College London’s faculty of medicine, said: “I am delighted to be named as one of the most influential figures in healthcare. As the country’s first academic health science centre, Imperial has led the way in ensuring that research, education and healthcare are fused together to improve patient outcomes and the patient experience.

“As we enter our third year as an AHSC, we aim to build on our successes to date by ensuring that more research discoveries are translated into new therapies and improved care for our patients.

“We also aim to be designated as a foundation trust next year, which will give us increased scope to improve our services, greater financial freedom and increased accountability to our patients and stakeholders.”

The judging was carried out by experts from across the health policy and management fields.

All those selected to go on the 'HSJ50' list demonstrated influence in constructing or delivering healthcare policy.

The rankings included managers, politicians, government advisers, clinicians, civil servants, strategic health authority chief executives, trade unionists, a journalist, policy experts and regulators.

Imperial College Healthcare Charity trustees Baroness Young of Old Scone and Dame Carol Black were ranked eighth and 42nd respectively. Baroness Young is also the chair of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Dame Carol Black is the first national director for health and work.