The Department of Health is to combine the posts of the National Health Service chief executive (Mr Alan Langlands) when he retires from the NHS in July and its permanent secretary (Mr Christopher Kelly).
The new combined job is to be advertised in the national press on June 18. The successful applicant will be expected to take up the post in the autumn.
In a statement on June 8, the Department said that the post-holder would take forward the forthcoming national plan for the NHS.