The former chief executive of NHS England has said she does not expect much disruption from the impending switch of prime minister, as the health service has “got a bit used to change”.
Amanda Pritchard, who was made a dame by the King at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, said she worked under “four prime ministers and six secretaries of state” during her time in charge of NHS England between August 2021 and March 2025.
Dame Amanda, who was the first female chief executive of NHS England, said: “One of the great things about the NHS is that it’s an institution of state – it serves the government of the day.
“It has the ability to just continue on, despite some of that upheaval.
“So day-to-day, I wouldn’t imagine there will be a huge amount of disruption, but the hope is always that whoever comes in as prime minister will be as supportive of the NHS as all of the recent predecessors.”
She said: “The next few months will be, as ever, incredibly busy, because it always is in the NHS, but there will also be, hopefully, continued opportunities to just keep showing that it does do amazing things every day and can continue to do extraordinary things in the future.”
Dame Amanda, who now works as chief executive at Guys & St Thomas NHS Trust, collected her honour as temperatures were forecast to hit record highs in coming days.
She said people should “stay hydrated, don’t go out unnecessarily” in the hot weather.
“There’s lots of good advice from the NHS on what to do and eat (in hot weather). We rarely need to use it, but we do at the moment,” she added.
Dame Amanda was at Windsor Castle, where other recipients included Anne Reid who was made a CBE, Katherine Sciver-Brunt was made an OBE and Georgia Stanway was made an MBE.
Reid was recognised for her services to drama, as she continues a glittering near 70-year career that has included long stints on Coronation Street (1961-1971) and Last Tango In Halifax (2012-2020).
She told the Press Association: “It’s very nice, a bit nerve-wracking actually, I thought I was going to fall over or something. But I’m thrilled, absolutely thrilled.
“I was telling the King that I was born when his great-grandfather was on the throne in 1935 – it was all a bit of a blur, really.”
Aged 91, Reid’s acting career is continuing at full pace, having finished touring her play By Royal Appointment in February.
She said she has just wrapped portraying a “mad authoress” for the upcoming HBO show Youth in April, has an upcoming cameo in a Ben Stiller film to shoot and is writing her autobiography.
