Who will be the next NHS chief executive?(National Health Service)

GPs are divided on whether the 'world class leader' the NHS seeks as its chief executive should be home-grown or imported.

A Sunday Times advertisement this month gave applicants until next Wednesday to submit their CVs. The ad called for 'knowledge and experience of the delivery of healthcare', but not specifically NHS experience.

None of the names so far linked to the job is from outside the NHS, but the media has speculated that the highest public sector salary ever could be offered to entice candidates from business or an overseas healthcare system.

Three of the potential applicants are long-standing servants of the NHS who are due to take up …