Mackey: We’ll change exec contracts to ensure accountability for failings

NHS executives could have their contracts rewritten to ensure they can be held to account for any actions taken while working for previous employers, NHS England’s chief executive has said.

Sir Jim Mackey’s intervention came after it was revealed that many executives called to give evidence to the inquiry into the Nottingham maternity care scandal had refused to do so. Inquiry chair Donna Ockenden said this had left “gaps” in the inquiry’s knowledge of how patients were failed.

Ms Ockenden’s review revealed all current Nottingham University Hospitals Trust staff approached to give evidence did so. However, 29 others, including “relatively recent former executives” did not. Meanwhile just five of 14  integrated care board and clinical commissioning group managers contacted agreed to speak to the review.

The Nottingham Maternity Families Group said those who had refused “to engage constructively and with candour in this review process” had provided “further proof you are unfit to keep mothers and babies safe”. The statement added: ”Questions need to be asked by senior leaders and regulators whether you are fit to work for our NHS.”

Sir Jim told a conference held by the The Institute for Public Policy Research think tank today that: “Everybody needs to be accountable for their actions. We’re looking at changes we can make to leaders’ contracts. A lot of people often leave and then it’s very difficult to hold them accountable for what happened on their watch. We’re going to try and make some changes to make… [it] more easy to hold them to account.”

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Source: HSJ, 25 June 2026