Second Permanent Secretary, Department for Health and Social Care

Policy Leaders Fellow, Centre for Science and Policy

Shona Dunn was appointed Second Permanent Secretary Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in April 2021. In this role she is an additional accounting officer on all departmental matters and leads on all non-coronavirus (COVID-19) related work for the department. She previously served as Second Permanent Secretary at the Home Office from October 2018, where she worked closely with the Permanent Secretary on all aspects of Home Office leadership, with particular responsibility for the borders, immigration and citizenship system. Shona was also acting Permanent Secretary in 2020.

Previous senior roles include Director General of the Economic and Domestic Affairs secretariat at the Cabinet Office; Director of Fire and Resilience and Director of Town and Country Planning at the Department for Communities and Local Government; and Director General of Education Standards at the Department for Education.