Having led the Department for Health and Social Care since 2016, the career civil servant will serve as the prime minister and Cabinet’s top official advisor.
He oversaw the health department throughout the Covid pandemic and defended it against claims of chaos at the Covid inquiry last year.
According to the prime minister, Sir Chris brought “huge experience” to the position and said achieving the government’s aims would need “re-wiring” the British state to implement reform.
As stated by the Prime Minister, he will assume responsibility for the government’s “five missions” on December 16, which form the core of Labour’s reform agenda.
