“Becoming the best place to work to make our work the best it can be” is key priority as Dr Navina Evans takes the reins at Health Education England

Making Health Education England the best place to work and embedding a culture that is transparent, diverse and inclusive is the best way to ensure we deliver for front line health and care learners and staff in this challenging environment says Dr Navina Evans who begins her new role as Chief Executive today. 

Dr Evans joins from East London Foundation NHS Trust (ELFT) where she was Chief Executive and replaces Professor Wendy Reid who has been interim Chief Executive since March. 

Dr Evans has over twenty years of clinical experience in psychiatry, medicine and paediatrics and is a proven inspirational leader. She is passionate about staff wellbeing and coproduction with patients and learners. She advocates that the best possible care for patients is delivered by staff who are part of an engaged team with a culture that promotes inclusion, flexibility and accountability. 

Her appointment comes as HEE continues to deliver an extensive education reform programme, support the government ambition to recruit 50,000 nurses, increase the primary care workforce and enhance the role digital technology will play in the delivery of health and care in the future and the knowledge and skills that the NHS workforce will need to work differently in the 21st century. 

Digital Technology and how it will change the delivery of healthcare to patients will be a topic for discussion at the upcoming virtual NHS Providers Conference where Navina will join a panel discussion looking at how investing in technology offers significant opportunities to meet the developing needs of patients and the future population 

Dr Evans said: 

I am very proud to be leading HEE and I see a great future for the organisation, we are fundamental to the future of the NHS as we look to increase the numbers, skills and capacity of the workforce. We have continued to deliver during the current pandemic and I join at a crucial time as we think about how we work in the future. I can’t wait to get started and am really looking forward to working with my new colleagues to help make HEE the best place to work, making it inclusive and helping the NHS to deliver the workforce of the future.

Sir David Behan, Chair, Health Education England said: 

I am delighted to welcome Navina to HEE. She is a hugely successful and experienced clinical leader with a great track record of delivery in the NHS and brings demonstrable passion to this role. 

She joins at an exciting time as we support the delivery of the People Plan for 2020/21 and support transformation across the whole NHS with a focus on workforce growth and changing the culture of the NHS and support the government commitment to expand our primary care workforce, including GPs and nurses. I am very much looking to working alongside her as we take his vital work forward. 

I would also like to take this opportunity to place on record my sincere thanks to Wendy Reid for her sterling work covering this role since March.

Navina biography 

Navina had been Chief Executive at East London Foundation NHS Trust (ELFT) since 2016 and previously held the positions of Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Operations. She has over twenty years of clinical experience in psychiatry, medicine and paediatrics and has worked as the Clinical Director for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services at ELFT. She has also been involved in Medical Education at Barts and The London Medical School as Honorary Senior Lecturer, Associate Dean, and provided pastoral care to medical students.  

Navina has considerable experience of working in multidisciplinary roles crossing organisational boundaries. She has worked with Local Authorities, the voluntary sector, Acute and Community Services, and in Primary Care. More recently she has taken an active role in the development of local Integrated Care Systems.