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Permanent Secretary, Department of Health and Social Care
Policy Leaders Fellowship Alumnus, Centre for Science and Policy
Chris Wormald was appointed Permanent Secretary for the Department of Health and Social Care in May 2016. He leads the day-to-day running of the department and heads the department’s senior team, with responsibility for:
- advising ministers on strategy and objectives for the health and social care system
- setting standards within the department
- making arrangements for governance, assurance and risk management
- overseeing the department’s performance and assuring the performance of sponsored organisations
- approving the department’s business plan, resource accounts, departmental report and major spending
Chris has also been Head of the Policy Profession, the professional group for those working to bring together evidence, delivery and the political context to support ministers in achieving outcomes for government and change in the real world.
His previous posts include:
- Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education
- Director General in the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, Cabinet Office
- Head of the Economic and Domestic Secretariat, Cabinet Office
- Director General, Public Service Reform, Cabinet Office
- Director General for Local Government and Regeneration at the Department for Communities and Local Government
- Principal Private Secretary to Estelle Morris and Charles Clarke
On this role as a Policy Leaders Fellow, Chris comments: "As part of open policy making, Civil Servants should take opportunities to link with world-leading thinking and research. CSaP is a chance for me to do this.”
Chris was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2017 Birthday Honours.
