Amanda Pritchard has been appointed as the new NHS chief operating officer, and will take up post full time on 31 July.

She is currently chief executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London and joined the NHS through its graduate management training scheme in 1997.

She has held a variety of NHS management posts since then including at West Middlesex Hospital, and as deputy chief executive of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, as well as serving as health team leader in the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit.

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said of the appointment, “This important appointment is integral to creating the newly combined NHS England and NHS Improvement, able to lead the next phase of the NHS’ development. Amanda will play a critical role in supporting further progress on quality of care, health outcomes and efficiency, as well as operational performance and delivery.”