Gillian Leng, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer for NHS Evidence

Gillian joined NICE in 2001 as Guidelines Programme Director. In 2004, she was appointed as implementation director, responsible for a programme of work designed to support local organisations putting NICE guidance into practice. In 2007 she became deputy chief executive of NICE.

She was appointed as chief operating officer for NHS Evidence in 2008 and is responsible for the delivery and implementation of this new service which will provide people with a one-stop-shop for clinical and non-clinical evidence, as well as guidance on best practice for delivering high quality care. It will encompass a formal accreditation programme, enabling people to readily identify trusted sources of information.

Career history

Gillian graduated from the University of Leeds in 1982 with a degree in physiology and in 1987 gained a degree in medicine. In 1994 she was awarded an MD for research into peripheral vascular disease. Before joining NICE she worked as a consultant for public health medicine with the Bedfordshire Health Authority.

She is an editor of the Cochrane Review Group on peripheral vascular diseases and an honorary senior lecturer at University College, London.

Her research interests include the methodology for evaluating and reviewing evidence, clinical trials and the epidemiology of vascular disease.