Guidance

Appointments made April 2026 to March 2027

Updated 8 July 2026

July 2026

British Pharmacopoeia Commission - chair

Dr Anna-Maria Brady has been re-appointed as chair of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission (BPC) for 2 years from 1 October 2026.

The appointment will involve a time commitment of 3 BPC meetings per year plus attendance at the European Pharmacopoeia Commission meetings. Remuneration for the role will remain at a rate of £500 per meeting.

This appointment is made in accordance with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments. The regulation of public appointments against the requirements of the code is carried out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 

The appointment is made on merit and political activity played no part in the decision process. However, in accordance with the code, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Dr Brady has not declared any political activity.

Care Quality Commission - chair

Baroness Julia Neuberger DBE has been named as the government’s preferred candidate to be the next chair of the Care Quality Commission (CQC). 

James Murray, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has invited Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee to hold a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing with Baroness Neuberger.

Baroness Neuberger is an experienced healthcare leader and cross‑bench peer with a track record of contributing to national healthcare policy, regulation and organisational leadership. She currently serves as chair of Whittington Health NHS Trust and as joint chair of University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Her terms of office in these roles are due to end in September 2026.

Earlier in her career, Baroness Neuberger was chief executive of the King’s Fund and before that she chaired the Camden and Islington Community NHS Trust. She has held leading roles in major national healthcare reviews, including of the Liverpool Care Pathway and the Mental Health Act.

Baroness Neuberger has held a wide range of advisory and trustee roles throughout her career. She is also a Rabbi Emerita at West London Synagogue, and a former Liberal Democrat peer, now sitting as an independent cross‑bencher in the House of Lords.

Following the resignation of the former CQC chair and the subsequent appointment of an interim chair in June, it is now important to appoint a new chair as soon as possible. For this reason, and following consultation with the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the government’s preferred candidate has not been selected following an open competition, due to the necessary further delays that would now result.

Following the select committee hearing, currently expected to be in early September, the committee will set out its views on Baroness Neuberger’s suitability for the role. The Secretary of State will then consider the committee’s report before making a final decision on the appointment.

Kay Boycott, a serving CQC non-executive director, will continue as interim chair until the new chair is appointed.

The role of CQC chair requires a time commitment of 2 to 3 days per week and is remunerated at a rate of £63,000 per year.

The appointment of the CQC chair is made on merit and political activity played no part in the decision process. However, in accordance with the Code of Governance for Public Appointments, there is a requirement for any political activity by an appointee to be made public. Neither Baroness Neuberger nor Kay Boycott have declared any political activity.

June 2026

Independent Reconfiguration Panel - interim chair and member

Sir Norman Williams has resigned as chair of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) from 31 May 2026 for personal reasons.

Following consultation with the Commissioner for Public Appointments, Professor Simon Brake has been appointed as interim chair of the IRP from 1 June 2026 to 31 March 2027, or until a new chair is appointed, whichever is sooner. The role of chair is remunerated at a rate of £36,780 per year for a time commitment of up to 2 days per week. Professor Brake currently serves as a member of the IRP. 

In addition, the appointment of Professor Brake as a member of the IRP has been extended for 3 months from 1 January 2027 to 31 March 2027.

This appointment is made in accordance with the Code of Governance for Public Appointments. The regulation of public appointments against the requirements of the code is carried out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 

The appointment is made on merit and political activity played no part in the decision process. However, in accordance with the code, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Simon has not declared any political activity.

Care Quality Commission - interim chair

Following the resignation of Professor Sir Mike Richards as chair of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on 31 May 2026, a serving CQC non-executive director, Kay Boycott, has been appointed as interim CQC chair from 1 June until 31 July 2026, or until a new chair is able to take up appointment if one is appointed earlier.

The appointment follows consultation with the Commissioner for Public Appointments. It was made on merit and political activity played no part in the decision process. However, in accordance with the Code of Governance for Public Appointments, there is a requirement for any political activity by an appointee to be made public. Kay Boycott has not declared any political activity.

The substantive appointment of the next CQC chair will follow the government’s preferred candidate being put forward for a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing with Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee.

The role of CQC chair requires a time commitment of 2 to 3 days per week and is remunerated at a rate of £63,000 per year.

Advisory Committee on Clinical Impact Awards - medical director 

Daniele Bryden has been appointed as the medical director of the Advisory Committee on Clinical Impact Awards (ACCIA) for 3 years from 1 July 2026.

The appointment will involve a time commitment of, on average, 2 days per week. Remuneration for the role will be at a rate of £52,540 per year.  

This appointment is made in accordance with the Cabinet Office Code of Governance for Public Appointments. The regulation of public appointments against the requirements of this code is carried out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 

The appointment is made on merit and political activity played no part in the decision process. However, in accordance with the code, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Daniele has not declared any political activity.

Health Research Authority - non-executive director

Shamik Ghosh has been appointed as a non-executive director of the Health Research Authority (HRA) for 4 years from 1 June 2026.

The appointment involves a time commitment of 2 to 3 days per month. Remuneration for the role is at a rate of £7,883 per year.

This appointment is made in accordance with the Cabinet Office Code of Governance for Public Appointments. The regulation of public appointments against the requirements of this code is carried out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 

The appointment is made on merit and political activity played no part in the decision process. However, in accordance with the code, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Mr Ghosh has not declared any political activity.

May 2026

Chair of Healthwatch England and Care Quality Commission non-executive directors

Professor David Croisdale-Appleby OBE has been re-appointed as Chair of Healthwatch England (HWE) and a non-executive director of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) from 1 June 2026 until 31 July 2027, or until HWE is disestablished. The appointment of both roles will continue to involve a time commitment of 2 days per week and remuneration for both roles will continue to be at a rate of £30,000 per year. 

Richard Barker CBE has been appointed as a non-executive director of CQC for 3 years from 1 April 2026. The appointment will involve a time commitment of 2 to 3 days per month and remuneration for the role will be at a rate of £7,883 per year. 

The appointments are made in accordance with the Cabinet Office Code of Governance for Public Appointments. The regulation of public appointments against the requirements of this code is carried out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.   

The appointments are made on merit and political activity played no part in the decision process. However, in accordance with the code, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. None of the appointees have declared any political activity.

NHS Blood and Transplant - non-executive directors and Audit, Risk and Governance Committee chair

Penny McIntyre has been re-appointed as a non-executive director of NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) for 3 years from 1 March 2027.  This appointment will continue to involve a time commitment of 2 to 3 days per month. Remuneration will be at a rate of £7,883 per year.

In addition, Ian Murphy has been re-appointed as a non-executive director and chair of  the NHSBT Audit, Risk and Governance Committee for 3 years from 1 March 2027. This appointment will continue to involve a time commitment of 2 to 3 days per month. Remuneration will be at a rate of £13,137 per year.

These appointments were made in accordance with the Cabinet Office Code of Governance for Public Appointments. The regulation of public appointments against the requirements of this code is carried out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.  

The appointments are made on merit and political activity played no part in the decision process. However, in accordance with the code, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Neither has declared any political activity.

April 2026

NHS Counter Fraud Authority - chair 

Tom Hayhoe has been appointed chair of the NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) for 3 years from 1 May 2026.  

The appointment will involve a time commitment of 2 to 3 days per month. Remuneration for the role will be at a rate of £14,450 per year.  

This appointment is made in accordance with the Cabinet Office Code of Governance for Public Appointments. The regulation of public appointments against the requirements of this code is carried out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.   

The appointment is made on merit and political activity played no part in the decision process. However, in accordance with the code, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Tom has not declared any political activity.