The Health Foundation announces Sir Alan Langlands as new Chair

He inherits the role in January 2009 from Sir David Carter who from October 2002 led The Health Foundation into its current role as engaged funder and champion of safety and quality.

As Chief Executive of the NHS Executive in England Sir Alan consistently supported excellence and innovative change. He brings significant knowledge and insight from his many years of developing public policy and managing health services. Sir Alan is a natural choice to act as advocate for The Health Foundation’s quest for improved quality and greater patient safety.

Sir Alan said ‘The Health Foundation offers some of the most effective and original thinking on how we can improve the quality, safety and effectiveness of healthcare, ensuring that patients receive the care they deserve. I am looking forward to helping the sector benefit from their constructive, creative and practical approach to improvement and their focus on clinical and managerial leadership.’

Sir David Carter welcomed Sir Alan’s appointment as Chair saying 'I am delighted to be leaving the chairmanship of The Health Foundation in Sir Alan's capable hands. I have no doubt that the Foundation will go from strength to strength under his leadership.'

Since 2000 Sir Alan has been Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Dundee, where he has overseen the transformation of the academic management structure and major advances in learning and teaching, research and knowledge transfer.

Sir Alan has received honorary fellowships from four medical Royal Colleges and a number of other institutions. He is currently Chair of UK Biobank Ltd, a Trustee of the Nuffield Trust and Honorary Professor of the University of Warwick Business School. He is a Non-Executive Director of the Office for Strategic Coordination of Health Research and the UK Statistics Authority. Alan has advised and developed strong working relationships with health and research institutions in many countries.

He was awarded a knighthood in 1998 for services to the NHS and a Fellowship with the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2002.