The new Chair of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has today been confirmed as Mark Addison.
He is joining from his role as a non-executive Director at the National Archives and has previously held several senior positions in the Civil Service, many with an operational focus, as well as roles at No10 and the Cabinet Office. He will take up post in the autumn and the appointment will be for 18 months initially.
TheNMChas faced a number of significant challenges over the past 12 months. Mark has a strong track record in improving performance at a number of public bodies including the Crown Prosecution Service while he was Chief Executive from 1998 to 2001 and while at the Rural Payments Agency in 2006.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said:
“Strong and effective professional regulation of nurses and midwives is crucial, if we are to ensure public protection and confidence.
“I am very pleased to welcome Mark Addison’s appointment. Mark has the experience and ability to make the changes needed to turn around the Nursing and Midwifery Council into a confident, capable and respected regulator. He has held a number of senior posts in regulatory and delivery organisations and is well respected for the many skills he has demonstrated during his career.
“I am very pleased Mark has agreed to take up the post of Chair of the Nursing and Midwifery Council. I will make sure he gets all the support he needs in the task of improving the organisation.”
On his appointment, Mark Addison said:
“I am looking forward to taking up the appointment of Chair of the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
“Addressing the findings of the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence report will be a big challenge. But that report makes clear that the organisation is moving in the right direction and that the staff have the ability and motivation to manage these changes and emerge stronger. That gives a strong platform on which to build.
“I know that all those with an interest in the Nursing and Midwifery Council are concerned about its current position. I will be keen to draw upon their support. Above all, I look forward to working with Nursing and Midwifery Council members and staff to ensure the organisation is the efficient and effective guardian of public safety and professional standards that it needs to be. That will not happen overnight, but I am confident that it can be achieved.
“Judith Ellis, as Interim Chair of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, has been instrumental in steering the organisation through the challenges and instability of the last six months. Her work has laid the foundations for improvement at theNMC. I look forward to working with her.”
Notes to Editors
For more information contact the Department of Health press office on 0207 210 4990
Mark Addison Biography
Mark Addison has senior leadership experience of operational management and of helping organisations turn round and move on to a new and successful path. He joined the Crown Prosecution Service as the new Chief Executive when it had been the subject of a review recommending a number of significant organisational changes. With the then new Director of Public Prosecutions, he introduced a wide ranging programme of reform which stabilised the organisation and began to improve its performance and reputation.
Mark joined the Rural Payments Agency as its Chief Executive the day after it became clear that the new farm payments system faced a number of challenges. He worked with the senior team and staff to tackle the crisis so that the Agency was able to make the bulk of the payments and begin the difficult process of resolving the underlying issues.
He has held a range of non-executive director posts since he left the civil service in 2006, and has led a number of reviews and investigations. He has been involved in assessing the capability of senior management teams in government and making recommendations to help them strengthen and improve performance. He has worked extensively with professionals and been in leadership positions in organisations with a strong professional ethos.
