King’s surgeon appointed to prestigious NHSE role

06 December 2022 - Rob Bentley has been appointed as Clinical Chair for the Trauma National Programme of Care

A King’s surgeon has been appointed to a prestigious post at National Health Service England (NHSE) Specialised Commissioning as the Clinical Chair for the Trauma National Programme of Care (NPoC).

Rob Bentley, a Craniofacial and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who has worked at King’s for more than 20 years, was appointed to the position of National Clinical Director for Trauma in March 2020 within the National Medical Directorate under Professor Sir Stephen Powis.

In his new additional role Rob will now lead the Trauma National Programme of Care which includes Neurosurgery and Spine, Adult Critical Care, Spinal Cord Injury, Neurology, Specialist Rehabilitation, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, ENT, Major Trauma and Burns and Hyperbaric Oxygen services. His appointment was announced at a launch event for the National Senior Leaders in Specialised Services held on November 28th which was attended by a number of NHSE executives including Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive Officer, National Medical Director Professor Sir Steve Powis and Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty.

Rob’s remit will be together with the other 5 NPoC chairs will be to oversee the devolvement of NHSE’s Specialised Services budget of £21 Billion to the 42 Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) following the recent Health and Care Bill legislation. The ICS’s are partnerships that bring together NHS organisations, local authorities and others to take collective responsibility for planning services, improving health and reducing inequalities across geographical areas and delivering on the NHS’s Triple Agenda of improved quality of care and patient experience whilst demonstrating value for money.

When asked to reflect on his appointment, Rob said: “I am honoured to have been appointed as one of the National Programme of Care Clinical Directors and am looking forward in leading the transition of such essential national services as budgets devolve to the ICS framework and in particular how the transformational programmes in Neurosciences, Critical Care and Spinal Cord Services will help deliver Network based solutions as have proved so successful in Major Trauma.”