Steve is the NHS Commissioning Board’s Deputy National Medical Director, with the lead responsibility for addressing Health Inequalities in line with the NHS Constitution.

He is also Chairman of the National Inclusion Health Board – Improving the health of the most vulnerable, which as its title suggests, focuses on improving the health outcomes of vulnerable groups (such as the homeless, Gypsies and Travellers, sex workers and vulnerable migrants). It pursues greater equity in health care and health outcomes, across communities we serve with a drive to make sure “the invisible ones” are seen, heard and have access to quality care, regardless of circumstance or need.

He continues to practise as a GP at Bellevue Medical Centre in Birmingham. Bellevue is a large Academic Training Practice, involved in research and health care education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It provides a wide range of innovative clinical services in a deprived inner city area.

Steve was the Chairman of the NHS Future Forum, launched by the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health in April 2011 to listen to people across England, to reflect on their concerns and suggestions so that the Government could improve its legislation to shape the future of the NHS. He presented the final reports to the full UK Cabinet in June 2011 which led to key changes in the Bill that became the Health and Social Care Act. A second phase looked at Integration of health and social care; Information; the NHS’s role in the public’s health and more work on education and training. After successfully leading those projects he led the review of the NHS Constitution which reached its conclusions in October 2012.

Steve was Chairman of Council of the Royal College of General Practitioners between 2007 and 2010. He is a non-executive director of University College London Partners, Academic Health Science Partnership, an honorary Professor in the College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Honorary Professor at the University of Warwick and a Member of Faculty at the Harvard Macy Institute, Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Steve received a CBE for his Services to Medicine in the Queen’s 2010 New Year’s Honours List.