The appointments of Dr Alec Price-Forbes as the national chief clinical information officer (CCIO) and Helen Balsdon as the national chief nursing information officer (CNIO) have been officially confirmed by NHSE.
Dr Price-Forbes, a consultant rheumatologist and former CCIO for Coventry and Warwickshire’s Better Health, Better Care, Better Value, will assume his role on 1st October 2024. He also serves as the clinical chair of Digital Health’s ICS Digital Council.
Balsdon has been serving as the interim national CNIO since the departure of Natasha Phillips in 2023.
After delays caused by re-organization and the general election, the appointments have been finalized. Dr Melanie Isles and Jonathan Benger had previously served as interim national CCIOs.
The national CCIO role was created based on Professor Robert Wachter’s recommendations in the ‘Making IT Work’ report published in September 2026 by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Prabha Vijayakumar was also appointed as the national chief allied health professionals information officer (CAHPIO) for NHSE in April 2024.
Interim national medical director for transformation at NHSE, Professor Erika Denton, emphasized the importance of clinical leadership in the NHS’s digital transformation efforts and welcomed the experienced leaders appointed.
This article was updated on 19th September 2024 to include the appointment of Prabha Vijayakumar and a comment from NHSE.
