District general managers: who will they be?

Twelve of the 14 English regions have now appointed a general manager: a nurse, two treasurers, a medical administrator, and eight administrators. The next step in the process is to appoint district general managers. Many districts jumped the gunthey probably did not realise that there was going to be a formal start-and have interviewed and designated (some privately) their general manager. The permanent secretary at the Department of Health and Social Security, Sir Kenneth Stowe, seems to have thrown the process into some confusion with a "letter of guidance" to regional chairmen outlining a recommended process for appointing district managers. Members of the department of social administration have been meeting district chairmen and authority members to help them "prepare for general management" as recommended by the Griffiths inquiry' and adopted by the government.2 Several issues have been discussed including the role of a general manager and how he should be selected, his relationship with other staff, and how he should be assessed.