The chair of the NHS Counter Fraud Authority has resigned after just four months in post, prompting renewed scrutiny of leadership stability across national oversight bodies. A brief statement published by the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that Dame Linda Pollard has stepped down with immediate effect for personal reasons.
The CFA itself made no announcement. Its website continues to list the current leadership team without reference to the change, and Dame Linda’s LinkedIn profile still records her as chair. Behind the formal wording, she has been clear that her decision was driven by the need to care for her husband, who is seriously ill.
Her departure places the CFA under interim leadership at a time when fraud prevention, procurement assurance and system integrity have become increasingly important for NHS finances. Rising pressures across national and local bodies have highlighted the need for strong governance and consistent oversight, particularly as savings targets and efficiency expectations tighten across NHS England and ICBs.
Gaon Hart, a non-executive director of the CFA with a background in regulatory, legal and anti-fraud oversight, has been appointed interim chair while a permanent successor is recruited. The move ensures continuity for the organisation’s ongoing investigations and assurance work, but it also reflects the wider turnover seen across several national bodies in recent months.
Leadership changes at the centre have become more common as national agencies manage intense public, political and financial pressure. The CFA’s role in safeguarding public funds will be closely watched during this interim period, with NHS leaders hoping that operational continuity will be preserved during a winter of rising financial risk and stretched system capacity.
Dame Linda’s departure is understood to be respectful, necessary and personal. Yet the timing, so soon after her appointment, adds another layer of uncertainty to a system already navigating considerable structural and financial strain.
