{{Short description|Journalist and health executive}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}} {{Use British English|date=July 2015}}

'''Niall Forbes Ross Dickson''' CBE (born 5 November 1953) was chair of East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust between April 2021 and December 2023. He was chief executive of the NHS Confederation, between February 2017 <ref>{{Cite web|title=$name|url=http://www.nhsconfed.org/news/2017/01/nhs%20confederation%20appoints%20niall%20dickson%20as%20new%20chief%20executive|access-date=2020-06-04|website=www.nhsconfed.org|language=en|archive-date=4 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604144309/https://www.nhsconfed.org/news/2017/01/nhs%20confederation%20appoints%20niall%20dickson%20as%20new%20chief%20executive|url-status=dead}}</ref> and October 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=NHS Confederation chief executive to step down|url=http://www.nhsconfed.org/news/2020/06/niall%20dickson%20leaves|access-date=2020-06-04|website=www.nhsconfed.org|language=en|archive-date=4 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604135544/https://www.nhsconfed.org/news/2020/06/niall%20dickson%20leaves|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Between 2010 and 2016 he served as chief executive and registrar of the General Medical Council (GMC),<ref name="NHS England » Niall Dickson">{{Cite web|title=NHS England » Niall Dickson|url=https://www.england.nhs.uk/author/niall-dickson/|access-date=2020-06-04|website=www.england.nhs.uk|date=21 February 2018 }}</ref> and led the International Association of Medical Regulatory Authorities (IAMRA) until 2016.<ref name="NHS England » Niall Dickson"/> Previously, Dickson worked as chief executive of the King’s Fund, from 2004 to 2009, after a career in journalism.<ref name="NHS England » Niall Dickson"/>

==Early life== He was born in Scotland<ref>{{cite journal |title=Dissecting Room: Niall Dickson |first=Kelly |last=Morris |journal=The Lancet |volume=363 |number=9412 |page=904 |date=13 March 2004 |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(04)15762-0|s2cid=54310785 }}</ref> and educated at Glasgow Academy, Edinburgh Academy and then studied at the University of Edinburgh.<ref name="guardian 18Feb2004">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2004/feb/18/guardiansocietysupplement.interviews |title=Hungry for change |first=Raekha |last=Prasad |work=The Guardian |date=18 February 2004}}</ref>

==Career==

===Journalism=== He was the editor of the ''Nursing Times'' from 1983 to 1988.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/workforce/kings-fund-chief-executive-niall-dickson-to-join-general-medical-council-14-07-2009/ |title=Kings Fund chief executive Niall Dickson to join General Medical Council |work=Nursing Times |last=Gainsbury |first=Sally |date=14 July 2009 |accessdate=3 July 2014}}</ref>

He worked at the BBC for 15 years, joining as health correspondent in 1988 and progressing to the position of social affairs editor for BBC News from 1995 to 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/09_september/26/niall_dickson.shtml |title=Niall Dickson to leave BBC |publisher=BBC |date=26 September 2003 |access-date=3 July 2014}}</ref> As social affairs editor he was responsible for around 80 journalists<ref name="guardian 18Feb2004"/> and his producer was Laura Kuenssberg.

===Management=== He was Chief Executive of the King's Fund from 2004 to 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/press/press-releases/gmc-appoints-niall-dickson-its-new-chief-executive |title=GMC appoints Niall Dickson as its new chief executive | publisher=King's Fund |date=14 July 2009| accessdate=3 July 2014}}</ref>

In January 2010, he was appointed as Chief Executive and registrar of the General Medical Council.<ref>{{cite web | title=Niall Dickson, Chief Executive and Registrar, General Medical Council | url=http://www.gmc-uk.org/about/chief_executive.asp | publisher=General Medical Council | accessdate=9 January 2013}}</ref> He took up the post of chair of the IAMRA in 2014, for a three-year term of office.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iamra.com/management-committee |title=Management committee |publisher=International Association of Medical Regulatory Authorities (IAMRA) |accessdate=8 July 2015 |archive-date=14 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714004919/http://www.iamra.com/management-committee |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Dickson was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to patient safety.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=61962|supp=y|page=B8|date=17 June 2017}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dickson, Niall}} Category:British chief executives Category:Living people Category:Medical journalists Category:BBC newsreaders and journalists Category:People educated at the Glasgow Academy Category:People educated at Edinburgh Academy Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:1953 births