National Health Executive Issue 107 Click here for reader view NICE confirms the appointment of new Chief Executive N ICE Chairman Sharmila Nebhrajani has announced that Professor Jonathan Benger CBE will become the organisation’s next chief executive, taking up the role on the 19th December 2025. He succeeds Dr Samantha Roberts, who has led NICE during a period of significant transformation. Professor Benger joined NICE in January 2023 as chief medical officer and has since held senior leadership positions, including interim director of the Centre for Guidelines and deputy chief executive. His appointment brings extensive experience in national health policy and digital transformation, with previous roles including interim chief clinical information officer at NHS England and chief medical officer at NHS Digital. Alongside his executive responsibilities, Professor Benger continues to practise as a consultant in emergency medicine at the Bristol Royal Infirmary and undertakes shifts with the Great Western Air Ambulance, the charity he helped to establish. He steps into the role at a pivotal moment, as NICE prepares for major new responsibilities under the government’s 10 Year Health Plan for the NHS. From April 2026, NICE will begin delivering a series of significant reforms that will shape the future of access to medicines, healthtech and clinical care pathways. Under the new approach, NICE will begin evaluating high-impact health technologies that meet the NHS’s most urgent needs. Technologies deemed effective and good value will be reimbursed and made available across the NHS, mirroring the process used for medicines. This change is designed to ensure patients have fairer, faster access to diagnostics, digital tools and medical devices, while offering developers a clearer and more coordinated route into the health system. NICE will work more closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to accelerate patient access to new treatments. By coordinating regulatory and value-for-money assessments, decisions will be made simultaneously – enabling medicines to reach patients three to six months sooner. From April 2026, NICE will also continually re-evaluate clinical pathways to ensure the NHS gets the best value from existing treatments and technologies. This includes identifying older interventions that no longer represent good 36
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