NHS England posts job ad for new chief information and technology officer

NHS wants 'outstanding', 'inspirational' and 'transformational' leader to replace Tim Kelsey

NHS England has posted a job advert for a new chief information and technology officer (CI&TO) to take over the duties of national director for patients and information Tim Kelsey, who left in December.

In the advert, posted earlier this week in The Sunday Times, the NHS states that it is seeking an "outstanding" candidate to lead the strategic procurement and successful implementation of IT priorities that will support what it calls a "modern, sustainable health and care system".

The successful candidate will be based at NHS England and work with other national bodies, including NHS Improvement, the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) - which leads the controversial care.data project alongside NHS England - and the Department of Health.

"The CI&TO will ensure that the benefits of information and technology investments in nationally funded programmes are realised, support local health and care systems to digitally enable their planning, commissioning and care delivery, and transform public access to information tools and services," according to the advert.

"This is a visible and influential leadership position and one that will impact on the lives of millions of people. As such, it requires a truly inspirational and transformational leader who will bring a relentless focus on patients and their experience of healthcare," it adds.

No indications of salary has been given, but the successful candidate is likely to receive a six-figure annual pay packet. The NHS has called on interested parties to contact its advising consultants, Odgers Berndtson, and has put a closing date for applications of 5 February.

The decision to introduce a new CI&TO role was confirmed back in November, when a leaked email from the organisation's chief executive, Simon Stevens, was seen by Government Computing.

The email suggested that the CI&TO would take responsibility for commissioning "modern data services" designed to provide patients, commissioners and clinicians with analytic resources and technology programmes that will support their needs based around primary care and future care models.

The CI&TO will also have to lead development around transparency - something that has clearly been lacking in the care.data programme.