Responding to the announcement that Professor Sir Stephen Powis will step down as NHS England’s national medical director, the interim chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery, said:

“Stephen has been an outstanding national medical director of NHS England, providing expertise, wisdom and leadership for the health service through very challenging times.

“In particular I would like to thank him for his calm handling of the extraordinary pressures posed by the pandemic and its aftermath.

“Stephen has acted with integrity, compassion and resolve in dealing with the incredibly varied and complex challenges that his role has demanded.

“Through a long and distinguished career with the NHS, he has also been innovative and forward thinking in anticipating issues, and harnessing medical and technological advances.

“We wish him well.”