Duncan Burton

Who Duncan Burton is

Duncan Burton was appointed Chief Nursing Officer for England and Executive Director at NHS England on 25 July 2024, succeeding Dame Ruth May. He is the government's most senior adviser on nursing matters and provides clinical and professional leadership for all nurses, midwives and nursing associates across health and social care in England, including the 373,000 nurses and midwives employed by the NHS. He trained at the University of Wales and began his clinical career in respiratory medicine and neurology at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, before holding senior roles at University College London Hospitals and as Executive Director of Nursing at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust. Prior to becoming CNO, he served as Deputy Chief Nursing Officer for England, where he led the maternity and neonatal programme, the children and young people's transformation programme, nursing workforce policy, and infection prevention and control. He is publicly known for advocating that nursing expertise should be placed at the heart of NHS reform, including the NHS 10-Year Plan.

References for this biography

1. 1.New chief nursing officer for England announced – NHS England — Appointment date, career history including University of Wales training, Royal United Hospital start, UCLH roles, Frimley Health, and South East regional CNO role.
2. 2.Chief Nursing Officer for England – NHS England — Current role, responsibilities, scope (373,000 nurses and midwives), and Executive Director status.
3. 3.Biography – Duncan Burton | Nursing Live | RCNi — Career summary including DCNO work, Nursing International Recruitment Programme, and Healthcare Support Worker Recruitment Programme.
4. 4.NMC welcomes Duncan Burton as new Chief Nursing Officer for England — Confirms appointment, over 25 years' nursing service, and prior collaboration with NMC on workforce issues.
5. 5.Our new Trustee: Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer, England – Princess Alice Hospice — Confirms appointment as Trustee of Princess Alice Hospice.
6. 6.Duncan Burton (@Duncan_CNO) / X — Confirms X/Twitter account as belonging to the Chief Nursing Officer for England.
7. 7.Interview: England CNO talks NHS reforms and nursing – Nursing Times — Confirms Burton's public advocacy on NHS reform and the nursing profession's role in the 10-Year Plan.

Notable achievements

• Appointed Chief Nursing Officer for England on 25 July 2024, taking over from Dame Ruth May. Source ↗
• As Deputy CNO, delivered the Nursing International Recruitment Programme and the Healthcare Support Worker Recruitment Programme for the NHS. Source ↗
• As Deputy CNO, led England's maternity and neonatal programme, nursing workforce policy and infection prevention and control. Source ↗
• Appointed as a Trustee of Princess Alice Hospice following a period as a voluntary committee adviser. Source ↗

What Duncan Burton has said

• “A new national nursing preceptorship framework will be developed so that all nurses in England have the best start to their career. Whether you're a newly registered nurse or a preceptor yourself, you'll benefit from a consistent, properly structured framework wherever you work.”

  Chief nursing officer for England · GP access · 30 Sept 2026 · National preceptorship reforms to include nurses in general practice ↗

• “"For example, we made sure that the staff in testing centres were trained around safeguarding and what the things they might need to look for."”

  Chief Nursing Officer for England · Children's health · 30 Sept 2026 · Children harmed by decision to redeploy health visitors, Covid inquiry hears ↗

• “Completing a historic high of elective activity is a triumph for NHS staff who continue to innovate and go above and beyond to treat more patients, faster. Thanks to early preparations and careful planning, ambulance waits are shorter and A&E treatment times are faster this winter – even as staff face record demand.”

  Chief Nursing Officer for England · A&E & ambulance response · 30 Sept 2026 · Patients waiting over 12 hours in A&E reach record highs in England ↗

• “He said it was a 'triumph' for the hard work of staff.”

  Chief Nursing Officer for England · NHS waiting lists · 30 Sept 2026 · NHS waiting list at lowest level in three years ↗

• “Completing a historic high of elective activity is a triumph for NHS staff who continue to innovate and go above and beyond to treat more patients, faster.”

  chief nursing officer for England · NHS waiting lists · 30 Sept 2026 · Long waits in A&E rise sharply but overall NHS waiting list continues to fall ↗

• “There have been too many times where safety issues in maternity could have been detected earlier, and we have seen the devastating impact this has had on families. Having a signalling system for maternity which can carefully look at data in near real-time and spot early warning signs if something is potentially going wrong will help to avert safety incidents and prevent tragedies.”

  Chief nursing officer for England · Maternity & neonatal · 30 Sept 2026 · NHS maternity dashboard launched to prevent tragedies ↗

• “Every woman and baby deserve safe, compassionate care during pregnancy and birth, and the very best start in life. Although NHS maternity and neonatal teams work incredibly hard to support women and families every day, we know there is more we must urgently do to improve care and experience.”

  Chief Nursing Officer for England · Maternity & neonatal · 30 Sept 2026 · Taskforce set up to deliver urgent action on maternity ↗

• “Every woman and baby deserve safe, compassionate care during pregnancy and birth, and the very best start in life. Although NHS maternity and neonatal teams work incredibly hard to support women and families every day, we know there is more we must urgently do to improve care and experience.”

  chief nursing officer for England · Maternity & neonatal · 30 Sept 2026 · Taskforce set up to improve quality of maternity and neonatal care in England ↗

• “appealed to primary and community care nurses to help inform the government's 10 Year Health Plan, by sharing examples of good practice and innovation”

  England's chief nursing officer · Women's health & gynaecology · 29 Sept 2026 · Inquiry launches into inclusivity of 10 Year Health Plan ↗

• “I would encourage everyone working in maternity and neonatal services, and those who work alongside them, to join the conversation. By sharing your voice, you will help shape the national action plan being developed by the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce.”

  Chief nursing officer (CNO) for England · Maternity & neonatal · 29 Sept 2026 · Nurses urged to prepare for ‘NHS-wide conversation’ on maternity and neonatal services ↗

• “Your Voice gives staff the opportunity to share their experience, insight and ideas so they can help shape what happens next and support lasting improvement for women, babies and families, as well as a better working environment for those providing care.”

  Chief nursing officer for England · Maternity & neonatal · 29 Sept 2026 · NHS leaders ask for staff views on improving maternity and neonatal care ↗

• “make meaningful improvements for women, babies, families and our staff”

  CNO for England · Maternity & neonatal · 29 Sept 2026 · NHS England launches NHS-wide conversation on improving maternity and neonatal care ↗

• “I became a nurse because I wanted to help people and provide the very best care, and I still love being a nurse”

  Chief Nursing Officer for England · NHS & care workforce/staffing · 8 Sept 2026 · CNO urges more male students to consider career in nursing ↗

• “He said it was a 'triumph' for the hard work of staff.”

  Chief Nursing Officer for England · NHS waiting lists · 8 Sept 2026 · NHS waiting list rises for third month in row ↗

• “Baroness Amos's independent investigation is a crucial step in driving meaningful change in maternity and neonatal care and we welcome her reflections and initial impressions.”

  Chief nursing officer for England · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · Victims of NHS maternity failings in England ‘received unacceptable care’ ↗

• “Racism against NHS staff is totally unacceptable. All local organisations must take a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, taking action including police involvement and criminal prosecution as appropriate.”

  Chief Nursing Officer, NHS England · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · Racist abuse of NHS nurses rising amid ‘normalisation’ of extreme views, RCN warns ↗

• “The NHS is kicking off its preparations for winter earlier than ever, with millions of flu jab appointments for pregnant women and children available to book from today ahead of vaccinations starting next month. The flu jab is one of our best defences against winter illness.”

  Chief nursing officer for England · GP access · 27 Aug 2026 · Millions urged to book flu jab as winter preparations start early ↗

Recent social activity

• Thanks to teams at Lewisham Community Services @LG_NHS for the warm welcome and thoughtful conversations yesterday. It was great to hear how your integrated approach, plus strong partnerships across health and social care, are improving outcomes and experiences for local people. https://t.co/8hMQ8Kqu0j

  x.com ↗

• As we mark International Neonatal Nurses Day, thank you to all our neonatal nursing colleagues for the vital care you provide to premature and sick newborn babies and the invaluable support you offer to their families. 💙 #teamCNO

  x.com ↗

Where Duncan Burton has been quoted

1. Nurses to benefit from boost to graduate pay and job progressiongov.uk · 30 Sept 2026
2. National preceptorship reforms to include nurses in general practicenursinginpractice.com · 30 Sept 2026
3. Children harmed by decision to redeploy health visitors, Covid inquiry hearsbbc.com · 30 Sept 2026
4. Patients waiting over 12 hours in A&E reach record highs in Englandmanchestereveningnews.co.uk · 30 Sept 2026
5. NHS waiting list at lowest level in three yearsbbc.com · 30 Sept 2026
6. Long waits in A&E rise sharply but overall NHS waiting list continues to fallindependent.co.uk · 30 Sept 2026
7. NHS maternity dashboard launched to prevent tragediesdigitalhealth.net · 30 Sept 2026
8. Taskforce set up to deliver urgent action on maternitygov.uk · 30 Sept 2026
9. Taskforce set up to improve quality of maternity and neonatal care in Englandnews.sky.com · 30 Sept 2026
10. Inquiry launches into inclusivity of 10 Year Health Plannursinginpractice.com · 29 Sept 2026
11. Nurses urged to prepare for ‘NHS-wide conversation’ on maternity and neonatal servicesnursinginpractice.com · 29 Sept 2026
12. NHS leaders ask for staff views on improving maternity and neonatal carenursingtimes.net · 29 Sept 2026
13. NHS England launches NHS-wide conversation on improving maternity and neonatal carehtn.co.uk · 29 Sept 2026
14. CNO urges more male students to consider career in nursingnursingtimes.net · 8 Sept 2026
15. NHS waiting list rises for third month in rowbbc.co.uk · 8 Sept 2026
16. Victims of NHS maternity failings in England ‘received unacceptable care’theguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
17. Racist abuse of NHS nurses rising amid ‘normalisation’ of extreme views, RCN warnstheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
18. Millions urged to book flu jab as winter preparations start earlythepharmacist.co.uk · 27 Aug 2026

Related media coverage

Recent UK press coverage of their topics — not necessarily citing them directly.

• Stop, shift, supercharge: How to create capacity for the work that matters in the NHSMarsh
• Delay of children’s hospital would ‘impose considerable additional costs’, Minister warnsThe Irish Times
• NJ nursing shortage worsens as education bottleneck growsNJBIZ

Contact & links

• Staff pagehttps://www.england.nhs.uk/nursingmidwifery/chief-nursing-officer-for-england/
• Xhttps://x.com/Duncan_CNOpublished here ↗

Organisational contact points only, each taken from a page the organisation publishes itself. No personal or direct contact details are held or shown.