Professor Mark Radford has been appointed as Heath Education England chief nurse, it has been announced.
The post was made permanent after he was appointed HEE interim chief nurse in October last year. He will also continue his role as deputy chief nurse for England.
Professor Radford has been leading the HEE response to the coronavirus pandemic, including on work to utilise student nurses and midwives to help fight the outbreak.
The news comes after former HEE chief nurse Lisa Bayliss-Pratt was appointed pro-vice chancellor of health and life sciences at Coventry University.
HEE chief executive Ian Cumming said Professor Radford had ‘already made a huge impact’ as HEE interim chief nurse.
He continued: ‘[This includes] leading the incredible effort being made to support the nursing workforce face the Covid-19 pandemic, and so it is with great pleasure I can announce him in the role permanently for HEE.’
Professor Mark Radford said: ‘Nurses and midwives are at the forefront of the response to COVID-19 and I’m unbelievably proud of the resilience, hard work and determination that our professions are showing right now.
‘I pledge to continue working closely with system leaders and talking to, listening and working alongside our nurses and midwives for the greater good,’ he added.
‘Supporting our nursing and midwifery workforce is now more important than ever.’
