NHS Professionals appoints new Chair, Sir Stephen Powis
NHS Professionals is pleased to announce the appointment of Sir Stephen Powis as Chair of the Board.
Sir Stephen brings extensive senior clinical and leadership experience from across the NHS. He served as National Medical Director for NHS England from 2018 to 2025, where he was the most senior doctor in the NHS and provided national clinical leadership during a period of exceptional challenge, including the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prior to his national role, Sir Stephen was Medical Director and Group Chief Medical Officer at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, alongside his academic career as Professor of Renal Medicine at University College London. His clinical background is in nephrology and renal transplantation, and he has held a wide range of national education, quality and leadership roles across the health system.
Sir Stephen was knighted in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to the NHS, particularly during the pandemic.
Commenting on his appointment, Sir Stephen said:
"I am very pleased to be joining NHS Professionals as Chair. As a truly national organisation, NHSP has a strong reputation across the NHS and plays a crucial part in supporting workforce and high-quality patient care.
Although there continue to be both cost and staffing pressures across the NHS, I believe that NHSP’s variety of unique, in-system staffing solutions, across all roles, means there is also immense opportunity for the business to add even more value and partner effectively with the NHS, at all levels.
I look forward to working with Nicola, the Board, the executive team and colleagues across the business, as NHSP continues to support NHS Trusts and healthcare professionals in the year to come, in line with the Government’s 10 Year Plan and forthcoming workforce plan."
Nicola McQueen, Chief Executive Officer at NHS Professionals, said:
"I am delighted to welcome Sir Stephen as our new Chair. His depth of clinical experience, national leadership and understanding of the NHS will be invaluable to NHS Professionals in 2026/27, and beyond. I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to deliver innovative workforce solutions for the Trusts we serve, every day."