Four clinical leads heading workstreams for the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme have been appointed to prestigious roles as national NHS leaders for their specialties.

National Clinical Directors (NCDs) and National Specialty Advisers (NSAs) are practicing clinicians appointed to work part-time at NHS England and NHS Improvement, providing leadership, advice and expertise across a range conditions and services, to help deliver the pledges of the NHS Long Term Plan.

• Professor Simon Kenny, GIRFT’s clinical lead for paediatric surgery, is also now the NCD for children and young people. Simon is a consultant paediatric surgeon at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool, where he led the introduction of minimally invasive paediatric surgery. His research interest is in regenerative medicine and the use of technology.
• Dr Clifford Mann, one of GIRFT’s two leads for emergency medicine, has been appointed as the NCD for urgent and emergency care. Cliff is a consultant in emergency medicine at Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, and a member of the urgent and emergency care senior management team at NHS England and NHS Improvement. He is a past president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, and in 2018 was awarded an OBE for services to emergency medicine.
• Dr Deborah Lowe, one of GIRFT’s joint leads for the stroke workstream, is the NCD for stroke. Deb is a stroke physician at Wirral University Teaching Hospital. She has been a clinical service lead for stroke, elderly care and rehabilitation since 2008 and a clinical director for division of medicine and acute specialties since 2013. She is also the clinical lead for stroke for the Northwest Coast Strategic Clinical Network. 
• Professor Partha Kar, one of GIRFT’s two clinical leads for diabetes, is the national specialty advisor for diabetes and obesity. Partha is a consultant diabetologist at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, with a special interest in the use of technology to support better patient care. His NSA role supports the National Clinical Director for diabetes and obesity Professor Jonathan Valabhji.

Their work as NCDs and NSAs will run alongside their GIRFT and trust roles, utilising their knowledge of their chosen specialty to inform and influence national improvement and transformation work.

Further information on the national NHS England and NHS Improvement roles can be found here.