Leading figures to help build NHS fit for the future
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-04)

Baroness Camilla Cavendish, Naomi Eisenstadt CB and Phil Jordan become non-executive directors on the board of the Department of Health and Social Care.

- Baroness Camilla Cavendish, Naomi Eisenstadt CB and Phil Jordan join the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) board
- They bring cross-party and wide-ranging experience and will provide strategic guidance to support health and care reforms
- The appointments come as part of the government’s call for the country’s best talent to join its mission to fix the NHS
Experts from across the public and private sector have been appointed to the DHSC board to drive forward health and social care reform plans.

Baroness Camilla Cavendish, Naomi Eisenstadt CB and Phil Jordan’s wealth of experience and expertise across the political divide and both the public and private sector will be vital in supporting the government’s key missions to drive down waiting lists and reform the NHS as part of the 10 Year Health Plan, shifting the focus from hospital to community, from sickness to prevention, and from analogue to digital.

Baroness Cavendish is best known for her time as head of the Number 10 Policy Unit under Prime Minister David Cameron. Ms Eisenstadt was the first Director of Sure Start, widely regarded as one of the most important policy initiatives in recent history, while Mr Jordan has held a long and distinguished career in the private sector, including top roles at Sainsbury’s, Telefónica and Vodafone.

They will join Lead Non-Executive Director Alan Milburn, former Health Secretary under Tony Blair’s government, on the board of DHSC.

It comes as part of the government’s call for the best and brightest to join its mission to fix the broken NHS and reflects DHSC’s commitment to drawing on diverse skills and perspectives to ensure it is fit for the future.

Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said:

I am drawing on people of different political persuasions, with public and private sector experience, to help us turn around the NHS, make it fit for the future, and reform social care.

The NHS is one of the biggest organisations in the world, and building a national care service is a generational ambition. We should be competing with global businesses to recruit the best and the brightest to our cause.

I am delighted to welcome Camilla, Naomi and Phil to their new roles. Their combined expertise in social policy and technology, deep understanding of healthcare and commitment to pragmatism over ideology will be invaluable as we fix our broken NHS.

If there are other people out there with the skills, experience and drive to transform the treatment and care of millions of people, then we want your help building our 10 Year Health Plan.

As non-executive directors, Camilla, Naomi and Phil will provide independent oversight, constructive challenge and strategic advice to the department. Their expertise will help shape DHSC’s mission to ensure the best possible health and care outcomes for everyone across England.

The NHS is broken and through the Plan for Change (https://www.gov.uk/missions), it is the mission of this government to fix it and make the health service fit for the future. As part of this national mission, experts are being brought in to help develop policy, and NHS staff and patients have been invited to share their experience and ideas to change the NHS on the Change NHS website (https://change.nhs.uk/en-GB/).

Baroness Camilla Cavendish

Former head of the Number 10 Policy Unit under Prime Minister David Cameron, Baroness Cavendish brings a wealth of experience across public policy, healthcare and journalism, and will draw on her expertise in social care while working at DHSC.

The vocal advocate for health and social care reform has led significant reviews that have shaped social care policy and practice. Notably, the Cavendish Review (2013) examined the training and development of health and social care support workers.

The review highlighted the need for improved standards of training, greater recognition for care workers and more robust safeguards for those in vulnerable situations. Her recommendations continue to influence workforce development across the sector.

Naomi Eisenstadt CB

Naomi Eisenstadt CB has a distinguished career in public policy and social welfare, including serving as the first director of the Sure Start Unit, where she spearheaded transformative early years programmes aimed at reducing inequality, and will bring her expertise on health inequalities to DHSC.

The scheme is one of the most successful social policy interventions in the past 30 years, demonstrating the importance of early intervention and prevention - one of the 3 big shifts this government is committed to in our 10 Year Plan for Health.

Currently serving as chair of the NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board, Naomi’s extensive experience and commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable communities make her an invaluable addition to the department.

Phil Jordan

Phil Jordan will focus on data and digital capability at DHSC, drawing on his impressive background having led major initiatives across both the public and private sector.

With a proven track record in strategic leadership, including as Chief Information Officer at Sainsbury’s, Telefónica, and Vodafone UK and Ireland, Phil has been instrumental in driving innovation and efficiency in complex organisations.

His expertise will support the department’s ongoing efforts to modernise healthcare delivery and enhance digital infrastructure, as part of the vital shift from analogue to digital, equipping the health service with the cutting-edge technology it needs to tackle waiting lists, improve patient experience and speed up diagnosis.

Background information

These appointments are made in accordance with the Cabinet Office Code of Governance for Public Appointments. The regulation of public appointments against the requirements of this code is carried out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

In line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, political activity is not a bar to appointment but political activity during the last 5 years should be declared. Camilla Cavendish and Phil Jordan have not declared any political activity. Naomi Eisenstadt is a member of the Labour Party.

Government non-executives provide advice and bring an external perspective to the business of government departments by sitting on departmental boards. They do not have decision-making powers.

See DHSC public appointments: 2024 to 2025 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-public-appointments-2024-to-2025) for further information.

NHS England is currently advertising non-executive vacancies. See: non-executive opportunities in the NHS: public appointments (https://www.england.nhs.uk/non-executive-opportunities/category/public-appointments/) for further information.