Dido Harding eyes role as head of NHS

Baroness Harding of Winscombe is considering a surprise application to become the next head of NHS England.

“Dido” Harding, 54, the former head of Test and Trace, has sounded out health leaders over the past fortnight about the prospect of succeeding Sir Simon Stevens as chief executive of the biggest employer in Europe, with about 1.5 million staff and a budget of £150 billion.

The Conservative peer and former TalkTalk boss is currently on short break, having handed over control of the Covid-19 testing effort at the start of April. A source said: “She is seriously considering it but has not reached a final decision.”

She is set to begin phoning potential supporters before the deadline for applications at midnight next Monday.

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