Responding to a speech by the secretary of state for health and social care at the Conservative Party Conference, the chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson, said:

"It is understandable that the secretary of state, who played a key role in securing a welcome and significant increase in funding for the NHS, will want to ensure this money is well spent.

"It is also understandable that the secretary of state wants to ensure trusts are well led.

"Trust leaders are deeply committed to improving care, reducing variation and cutting waste.

"It is this outstanding frontline leadership that enabled the health service to respond so well to the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic. That leadership will be tested again as we head into what promises to be the toughest winter ever for the NHS.

"What must not be forgotten though, as we embark upon another review of NHS leadership, is that there is already a robust regulatory framework in place which holds trust leaders to full account including scope to replace leaders on the rare occasions this is necessary.

"We must not forget either that the small number of trusts who are currently subject to formal regulatory intervention usually face a range of significant structural difficulties such as operating on multiple dispersed sites, inadequate capital investment and difficulty in recruiting staff. These issues are not solved by changing senior leaders.

"Trust leaders deserve support, encouragement and recognition of the complex and difficult work they are doing. They will therefore welcome the clear statement that the review will focus on identifying and spreading leadership best practice."