Prof Meghana Pandit

Who Prof Meghana Pandit is

Professor Meghana Pandit is Chief Executive Officer of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH), one of the largest acute teaching hospitals in England, with 14,000 staff delivering care across four sites and 45 community locations. From 1 April 2025 she was seconded to NHS England as Co-National Medical Director – Secondary Care, and between October 2025 and March 2026 served as NHS National Medical Director; from 1 April 2026 her national role became Deputy Chief Executive Officer to Sir Jim Mackey at NHS England (50% of her time), with a planned full-time return to OUH in October 2026. She trained in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the Oxford Deanery, was a Visiting Lecturer in Urogynaecology at the University of Michigan, and held Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Chief Executive roles at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire from 2012. In her national role she has been a prominent public voice on NHS elective care recovery, waiting-list reduction, and the reform of medical training. She is Honorary Professor at Warwick University and a Fellow of Exeter College, University of Oxford.

References for this biography

1. 1.Our leadership team – NHS England — Confirms she was National Medical Director at NHS England from 1 April 2025 to 31 May 2026; honorary professorships and fellowship; career history
2. 2.Board Directors – Oxford University Hospitals — Confirms secondment sequence (Co-NMD from April 2025, Deputy CEO from April 2026), planned return to OUH, clinical training background
3. 3.New Chief Executive and Chair for the Thames Valley Acute Provider Collaborative – Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust — Confirms appointment as APC Chief Executive; current split role as OUH CEO and NHSE Deputy CEO; period as National Medical Director
4. 4.Chief Executive Officer appointed – Oxford University Hospitals — Confirms permanent CEO appointment March 2023; first female and first person of colour CEO in Shelford Group
5. 5.Professor Meghana Pandit – GOV.UK — Official government biography; confirms interim Medical Director role from 1 April 2025 and career history
6. 6.Waiting list down as NHS 'approaches its limit' – NHS England — Example of Prof Pandit quoted in press as NHS National Medical Director on elective care and winter pressures
7. 7.Reducing NHS waiting times for elective care – Public Accounts Committee — Confirms she gave evidence to PAC as Co-Medical Director (Secondary Care), NHS England
8. 8.New medical training chair – The Stratford Observer — Confirms Prof Pandit as co-sponsor of four-nation medical training reform initiative, April 2026
9. 9.Professor Meghana Pandit – Oxford Academic Health Partners — Career background; MBA; Founding Senior Fellowship FMLM 2015; honorary professorships; return timeline to OUH

Notable achievements

• Served as NHS National Medical Director (NHS England) from 1 April 2025 to 31 May 2026, providing national professional leadership across medical standards, safety, and policy. Source ↗
• Appointed first female CEO and first person of colour to lead any Shelford Group NHS trust, becoming permanent CEO of Oxford University Hospitals in March 2023. Source ↗
• Co-sponsored (with Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty) a four-nation initiative to reform medical training, announced April 2026. Source ↗
• Gave evidence to the Public Accounts Committee inquiry into reducing NHS waiting times for elective care as Co-Medical Director (Secondary Care), NHS England. Source ↗
• Appointed Chief Executive of the Thames Valley Acute Provider Collaborative (August 2026), a collaboration spanning Oxford University Hospitals, Royal Berkshire, Buckinghamshire Healthcare, and Frimley NHS Foundation Trusts. Source ↗

What Prof Meghana Pandit has said

• “The drop in waiting lists was 'fantastic news'. But she said it looked set to be a difficult winter which would see the NHS stretched to its 'limits'. 'Flu is peaking early and looking like it will be long lasting, while industrial action is starting on Friday.'”

  NHS England medical director · NHS waiting lists · 30 Sept 2026 · NHS waiting list down after three months of rises ↗

• “There's no doubt NHS staff will be approaching their limits this winter. Flu is peaking early and looking like it will be long-lasting, while industrial action starting on Friday comes on the back of the busiest October in A&E in NHS history.”

  NHS national medical director · NHS waiting lists · 30 Sept 2026 · NHS waiting list falls as Streeting says health service ‘on road to recovery’ ↗

• “It is fantastic news that the health service managed to get the waiting list down in September, but there's no doubt NHS staff will be approaching their limits this winter.”

  NHS National Medical Director · NHS waiting lists · 30 Sept 2026 · Waiting list down as NHS ‘approaches its limit’ ahead of strikes and flu ↗

• “The NHS was ready to tackle winter head on this year, which is why despite facing record-breaking demand, staff have delivered the shortest winter waiting times for 4 years – while waiting lists have continued to fall.”

  NHS National Medical Director · A&E & ambulance response · 30 Sept 2026 · Cambridgeshire patients waiting over 12 hours to be seen in A&E ↗

• “NHS staff made history this summer, delivering record-breaking levels of care for this time of year. But we're not slowing down. With A&E and ambulance demand already higher than last year, staff are gearing up for a tough looking winter.”

  NHS England's medical director · NHS waiting lists · 30 Sept 2026 · NHS waiting list progress grinds to a halt as top medic flags 'critical issues' ↗

• “NHS staff made history this summer, delivering record-breaking levels of care for this time of year. But we're not slowing down. With A&E and ambulance demand already higher than last year, staff are gearing up for a tough-looking winter.”

  NHS national medical director · NHS waiting lists · 30 Sept 2026 · Waiting list for planned hospital treatment rises for third month in a row ↗

• “The NHS was ready to tackle winter head on this year, which is why despite facing record-breaking demand, staff have delivered the shortest winter waiting times for 4 years – while waiting lists have continued to fall.”

  NHS National Medical Director · NHS waiting lists · 30 Sept 2026 · Waiting lists fell to lowest level in almost three years despite busiest winter on record ↗

• “I am incredibly proud of the work that NHS staff have put in over the past year to get us within touching distance of our elective recovery target. This progress has been achieved despite the busiest winter on record and disruption caused by industrial action.”

  NHS Deputy CEO and Medical Director · A&E & ambulance response · 30 Sept 2026 · Five-year low for A&E waiting times despite March being busiest month ever ↗

• “It is welcome news to see a drop in the number of people being admitted to hospital with flu, thanks in part to the extraordinary efforts of NHS staff, with more than half a million more people vaccinated against flu compared to the same period last year.”

  NHS national medical director · Respiratory (asthma/COPD) · 10 Sept 2026 · Half a million more people vaccinated against flu this winter ↗

• “'It's clear that the worst is far from over for the NHS this winter, with hospitals again experiencing a rise in patients admitted with flu and other respiratory virus cases last week.'”

  NHS national medical director · Respiratory (asthma/COPD) · 10 Sept 2026 · Respiratory illness bounce-back as NHS tackles January cold snap ↗

• “A rise in this vomiting virus is leaving hospitals under pressure. Norovirus cases didn't peak until February last winter, so we're monitoring closely for further increases ahead of another predicted cold snap this weekend.”

  NHS national medical director · Respiratory (asthma/COPD) · 10 Sept 2026 · Rising cases of norovirus push hospital bed capacity to almost 95% ↗

• “Industrial action in the NHS is never easy for patients, but despite the disruption record number of cancer patients got the care they needed.”

  NHS national medical director · NHS waiting lists · 8 Sept 2026 · Doctors warn hospitals under pressure ↗

• “It was having "a transformative impact" on how hospitals worked with patients and their families when their condition was worsening.”

  NHS England's national medical director · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · Martha’s rule now in operation at every acute hospital in England ↗

• “With record demand for A&E and ambulances and an impending resident doctors strike, this unprecedented wave of super flu is leaving the NHS facing a worst-case scenario for this time of year – with staff being pushed to the limit to keep providing the best possible care for patients.”

  NHS national medical director · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · NHS ‘facing worst-case scenario’ as hospital flu cases jump 55% in a week ↗

• “The number of patients in hospital with flu is extremely high for this time of year. Even worse, it continues to rise and the peak is not in sight yet, so the NHS faces an extremely challenging few weeks ahead.”

  NHS England's joint medical director · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · NHS bracing for worst ever winter crisis in next fortnight amid rising flu cases ↗

• “These strikes come at an immensely challenging time for the NHS, with record numbers of patients in hospital with flu for this time of year”

  NHS England's national medical director · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · Resident doctors in England begin five days of strike action ↗

• “Combined with the impact of strikes, a stream of winter viruses means many hospitals will be on high alert in the days ahead”

  NHS England national medical director · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · Stay at home if you have flu symptoms, experts urge amid fears of second surge ↗

• “While there are signs of improvement and the NHS is in calmer waters, pressures on hospitals remain incredibly high and we're not out of danger yet with temperatures set to drop in the coming days.”

  NHS England's medical director · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · NHS under ‘extraordinary pressure’ as amber cold alerts issued for all England ↗

• “It is welcome news to see a drop in the number of people being admitted to hospital with flu, thanks in part to the extraordinary efforts of NHS staff with more than half a million more people vaccinated against flu compared with the same period last year. The NHS is far from complacent as temperatures drop, with this likely to increase pressures in the new year, and demand on services remaining high with NHS 111 services recording their second busiest day in two years on Saturday.”

  NHS national medical director · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · Flu patient numbers in English hospitals fall for second straight week ↗

Where Prof Meghana Pandit has been quoted

1. Less than two-thirds of A&E arrivals at the Royal Devon University Healthcare Trust seen within four hourscreditoncourier.co.uk · 30 Sept 2026
2. NHS waiting list down after three months of risesbbc.com · 30 Sept 2026
3. NHS waiting list falls as Streeting says health service ‘on road to recovery’independent.co.uk · 30 Sept 2026
4. Waiting list down as NHS ‘approaches its limit’ ahead of strikes and fluwired-gov.net · 30 Sept 2026
5. Cambridgeshire patients waiting over 12 hours to be seen in A&Ecambridge-news.co.uk · 30 Sept 2026
6. NHS waiting list progress grinds to a halt as top medic flags 'critical issues'mirror.co.uk · 30 Sept 2026
7. Waiting list for planned hospital treatment rises for third month in a roweadt.co.uk · 30 Sept 2026
8. Waiting lists fell to lowest level in almost three years despite busiest winter on recordnationalhealthexecutive.com · 30 Sept 2026
9. Five-year low for A&E waiting times despite March being busiest month evernationalhealthexecutive.com · 30 Sept 2026
10. Half a million more people vaccinated against flu this winterpulsetoday.co.uk · 10 Sept 2026
11. Respiratory illness bounce-back as NHS tackles January cold snappulsetoday.co.uk · 10 Sept 2026
12. Rising cases of norovirus push hospital bed capacity to almost 95%pulsetoday.co.uk · 10 Sept 2026
13. Doctors warn hospitals under pressurebbc.com · 8 Sept 2026
14. Martha’s rule now in operation at every acute hospital in Englandtheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
15. NHS ‘facing worst-case scenario’ as hospital flu cases jump 55% in a weektheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
16. NHS bracing for worst ever winter crisis in next fortnight amid rising flu casestheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
17. Resident doctors in England begin five days of strike actiontheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
18. Stay at home if you have flu symptoms, experts urge amid fears of second surgetheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
19. NHS under ‘extraordinary pressure’ as amber cold alerts issued for all Englandtheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
20. Flu patient numbers in English hospitals fall for second straight weektheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026

Related media coverage

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

• Patients claim they were left in ‘agony’ and ‘begging’ for medication at NGHNorthampton Chronicle and Echo
• Jogger crushed under coach thanks paramedics who saved his lifeBBC
• Ambulance response times for critical cases falling short, says Dr DzulThe Star

Contact & links

• Staff pagehttps://www.ouh.nhs.uk/about/trust-board/directors/
• LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/meghana-pandit-6248a7115/
• Xhttps://x.com/megh_panditpublished here ↗
• Websitehttps://www.gov.uk/government/people/meghana-pandit

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