The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has appointed Danny Mortimer as the new Director General for People, a vital senior post responsible for spearheading workforce strategy and policy across both the DHSC and NHS England. Mortimer, who will begin his role in February 2026, takes up the position during a period of intense pressure for the NHS, characterised by widespread staffing shortages, ongoing industrial disputes, and the crucial requirement to implement the 10-Year Workforce Strategy.
Mortimer is a veteran leader with over 30 years of experience advocating for NHS workforce issues and employer engagement. He joins the DHSC executive team from his current posts as Chief Executive of NHS Employers and Deputy Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation. He succeeds Jo Lenaghan, who has served in the post on an interim basis since November 2025. The Director General for People is integral to the government's efforts to improve workforce planning, retention, recruitment, and training throughout the health and care sector. This appointment underscores a broader structural alignment aimed at integrating policy with service delivery, highlighting joint executive leadership between DHSC and NHS England.
Workforce challenges represent the most significant strategic pressure confronting the NHS in 2026. The new Director General is tasked with developing interventions to tackle persistent issues reported by professional bodies and trusts. These include acute staffing vacancies in critical areas such as nursing, general practice, and mental health services. Furthermore, high demand, winter pressures, and recent strike action over pay continue to test staff morale, leading to burnout and significant morale and retention issues. A growing problem is system-level stress, where shortages in administrative roles force clinical staff to absorb extra duties, compounding stress and reducing time available for direct patient care.
Mortimer's broad remit combines operational influence with policy-making. His role will be critical in connecting high-level policy with frontline implementation across areas like international recruitment, flexible working programmes, and training and education, particularly following the late 2025 establishment of a joint executive team between DHSC and NHS England. Mortimer acknowledged the complexity and importance of his new responsibilities and expressed a commitment to developing a more resilient, supported, and sustainable long-term workforce.
Beyond numerical targets, the role also encompasses workforce diversity and inclusion, with an aim to improve senior representation and ensure equitable career progression, ultimately making the NHS a more inclusive and enduring employer. Given a Labour government pledging reforms and the ongoing integration of DHSC and NHS England, the efficacy of Mortimer’s leadership will profoundly shape the future trajectory of health services. His arrival signifies a potential move towards more coordinated workforce leadership, focused on stabilising staffing levels and bolstering the NHS’s standing in a highly competitive labour market.
