Professor Danny Keenan to Retire as HQIP Medical Director
Published: 19 Oct 2025
HQIP announces that Professor Danny Keenan will be retiring from his role as HQIP Medical Director in the new year, marking the end of an extraordinary chapter in the organisation’s history.
Danny has served as HQIP’s first and only Medical Director since 2013, providing outstanding leadership, clinical insight, and an unwavering commitment to improving patient care. Over more than a decade, he has played a pivotal role in advancing HQIP’s mission to drive quality improvement across the NHS through clinical audit and national registries.
Under Danny’s leadership, HQIP’s clinical programmes have become internationally recognised examples of how audit data can be used to deliver meaningful change. He has clinically led the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP), commissioned by NHS England, which now spans over forty clinical specialties and provides critical intelligence to improve patient outcomes across the health system.
Danny’s influence has been transformative. He pioneered National Clinical Audit Benchmarking, enabling NHS Trusts to measure and understand their performance, address unwarranted variation, and share learning more transparently. He has also been instrumental in positioning clinical audit as a cornerstone of healthcare improvement, fostering a culture of openness, accountability, and continual learning.
His work has extended well beyond HQIP. As Clinical Director at the Manchester Heart Centre, he led one of the UK’s most advanced cardiothoracic surgery units. As an Honorary Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Manchester, he has mentored generations of clinicians and future healthcare leaders. Danny has also served as Clinical Advisor to the Care Quality Commission and as Chair of the Indicator Advisory Committee for NICE, helping to shape national standards and policy on outcomes and quality.
Danny’s commitment to improving care has left a lasting mark on HQIP, and the NHS as a whole. His belief in the power of clinical audit to drive better care has become part of HQIP’s DNA, influencing national programmes and international practice alike.
HQIP Chief Executive Chris Gush said:
“Danny’s contribution to HQIP and to the wider healthcare system has been immense. His leadership, wisdom, and passion for improvement have shaped much of what HQIP stands for today. We are deeply grateful for his service and wish him every happiness in his retirement.”
Recruiting Danny’s successor
HQIP will shortly begin the process of recruiting Danny’s successor to ensure continuity of clinical leadership and to build on the strong foundation he has established.
The role description and application details for the Medical Director position will be posted on our Work With Us webpage later this week.