Simon Stevens, the head of the NHS in England, has been knighted for services to healthcare in the New Year Honours list.

Stevens has been NHS England's chief executive since 2014. 

Before that he worked for US firm United Healthcare and acted as an adviser in Tony Blair's Labour government.

Stevens has been instrumental in arguing the NHS is in great need of more funding.

He has also been credited with helping to convince former Prime Minister Theresa May to give the NHS a five-year funding plan which was announced in 2018.