The new interim permanent secretary of Stormont’s Department of Health has been described as someone with a “long and impressive track record of health service leadership”.
Mike Farrar, the former chief executive of the NHS Confederation, is replacing outgoing permanent secretary Peter May following his retirement.
He will take up his new role in April.
Health minister Mike Nesbitt welcomed the appointment saying: “Mike Farrar has a long and impressive track record of health service leadership in the United Kingdom and brings considerable experience of healthcare systems in this country and overseas.
“This will be of great benefit as we tackle the tremendous challenges in health and social care in Northern Ireland.”
Mr Nesbitt also thanked the outgoing Mr May for his “years of dedicated service” in a range of Stormont departments.
Last year, Mr Nesbitt praised Mr May for having a “brain the size of a planet” over his management of the department’s budget.
Meanwhile, the chair of the British Medical Association NI, Dr Alan Stout, said of Mr Farrar’s appointment: “It is clear there is an urgent need to reset how our services are delivered, and I hope that his experience working in health across the rest of the UK will mean he can see where the barriers to change are and address them rapidly.
“We still have an incredibly dedicated workforce, and our health service can change but we cannot afford to take any more time in implementing what we all know needs done.”
