London's 1000 most influential people 2011: Health

Sir Paul Nurse
President of the Royal Society
The Nobel-prize winning geneticist who works on what controls the division and shape of cells. His previous posts include professor of microbiology at the University of Oxford. Sir Paul has been voted Britain's most important scientist and believes scientists should speak out and challenge politicians who support policies based on pseudoscience.

Andrew Lansley
Health Secretary
Has endured a political and media bruising as his controversial NHS bill was watered down in the face of criticism but it will still lead to the biggest overhaul of the health service since its inception. The steely son of a GP has had the Tory health brief since 2003 yet has struggled to articulate his case for private healthcare and cuts to the wider public. David Cameron has stayed loyal.

Dame Sally Davies
Chief Medical Officer
The Government's most senior medical adviser - and the first woman to hold the position - plays a decisive role in helping to handle health emergencies such as last year's flu crisis. Always open to accusations that she has done too little or too much. Has called for people to be "more honest with themselves about their eating and drinking habits".

Ruth Carnall
NHS London, CEO
The head of the NHS in the capital has faced challenge upon challenge in having to cut costs in London's healthcare budgets while trying not to compromise patient care and explain the case to a sometimes sceptical public. She has been a big advocate of downsizing hospitals to provide "Tesco Metro-style" surgeries throughout London.

Hamish Meldrum
British Medical Association, chair
The GP and head of the doctors' professional body has demanded substantial changes to the Government's health bill, declaring it poses "an unacceptably high risk to the NHS in England". That follows criticism from some London doctors who complained that he was not being vocal enough. Meldrum has also warned that rising tuition fees will deter would-be doctors.

Richard Horton
The Lancet, editor
During his 16-year stint, the London-born medically trained editor of the world's leading health journal has helped to reveal a number of medical stories, including around the diseases CJD and SARS. His magazine is respected for its calm authority and he is also an honorary professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and University College London.

Andrew Witty
GlaxoSmithKline, CEO
Boss of Britain's biggest drugs firm, based in Brentwood, wants to show "big pharma" can be friendly. He is a champion of making cut-price drugs more affordable in countries with the lowest incomes. At the same time he announced Glaxo would place certain patents in a pool so that they were freely available for others in the search for new drugs.

Lord Winston
Imperial College, professor of science
The broadcaster and fertility expert is arguably Britain's best known doctor and when he speaks out - as he did when complaining that a third of school science labs are inadequate - Middle England listens. The Labour peer says the NHS is doing "pretty damn well" and the previous Government's legacy is underrated. He has been a measured critic of Andrew Lansley's reforms.

Laurence Buckman
British Medical Association, chair of the GP committee
This top doctor is known for his aggressive approach in backing the GPs' corner. Has warned the NHS is "being cut to the bone". His role is vital in the upcoming Lansley reforms, which will see local doctors given more powers as Primary Care Trusts are abolished. His own practice is in Barnet.

Sir Andrew Dillon
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, CEO
His 35-year experience working for the NHS has stood him in good stead as leader of the drugs-rationing body. He has a difficult role to play in helping advise what medications should be funded as budgets are squeezed and vary so much by area.

Peter Carter
Royal College of Nurses, CEO
The campaigning head of this union, representing 400,000 NHS employees, has fought hard for members since the controversial health bill was published last year. The RCN has led the way in tracking every post axed, highlighting to the Government how the NHS cuts will affect patient care. Carter was awarded the OBE for services to the health service.

Katherine Murphy
Patients Association, CEO
The dedicated and tireless campaigner is passionate about making sure that the patient's voice is heard and has been at the forefront of efforts to improve healthcare in England. Spoke out after recent revelations showed elderly patients were receiving shockingly poor treatment in some NHS hospitals and demanded action from Care Quality Commission.

Chris Ham
King's Fund, CEO
After being an adviser to the World Health Organisation and working as a consultant for governments in a number of countries, Ham was selected to head this respected and influential think-tank on shaping health policy and transforming services. He has been awarded a CBE for his services to the NHS.

Professor Norman Williams
Royal College of Surgeons, president
The world-renowned surgeon and leader in the field of bowel disorders is the director of the centre for academic surgery at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. He has won numerous accolades, helped to develop new techniques in surgery and is the voice of surgeons in the debate over the NHS's future.

John Oxford
St Barts and London School of Medicine, virologist
Having written more than 250 scientific papers on influenza, and co-authored books on the subject, the professor of virology at Barts and The London School of Medicine is a world leader in identifying new strains of the virus. When any new strain of flu threatens, Oxford is a key adviser.

Cathy Warwick
Royal College of Midwives, CEO
Awarded a CBE for her contribution to the midwifery profession, the country's most senior midwife has campaigned long and hard for improved maternity services across the country and is now calling on the cash-strapped Government to recruit 3,000 more midwives in England.

Bill Morgan
Department of Health, special adviser
Known for his sharp policy mind and his fierce loyalty, he is shepherding his minister, Andrew Lansley, through choppy financial waters and trying to sell a major programme of structural and system reform to a doubting medical establishment. Previously worked for PR firm Mandate, where he campaigned on health issues on behalf of a number of major private firms.

Mike Farrar
NHS Confederation, CEO
A veteran of the health world, Farrar started his career as a gardener at a hospital and now heads the only membership body that speaks on behalf of the whole of the NHS. During a stint with the Department of Health, the keen footballer and cricketer helped establish Primary Care Trusts across the country.

Simon Rackstraw
Mildmay Clinic, director
A world-renowned consultant on HIV, Rackstraw also runs the Mildmay Clinic in Shoreditch where two-thirds of those suffering from the illness go from "death's door" to living full and lengthy lives. The unit attracted global attention in 1989 when Princess Diana shook hands with a patient. Rackstraw is now fighting to maintain NHS funding for the clinic.

Shaw Somers
Bariatric surgeon
As a leading Harley Street surgeon specialising in obesity, Somers is a leading voice in the debate on healthy eating, lecturing both here and abroad. Has experience of more than 2,000 bariatric operations including more than 1,000 gastric bypasses, 600 gastric bands and other weight-loss related procedures.

Rajiv Grover
Plastic surgeon
The Harley Street surgeon is responsible for the UK national audit of cosmetic surgery and safety for the Royal College of Surgeons and is also a council member of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. Has published more than 60 book chapters and articles in both the UK and US on improving safety after cosmetic surgery - a major issue of media interest.

Lord Darzi
Imperial College, professor of surgery
One of the world's leading surgeons at Imperial College, he specialises in the field of minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgery, and has pioneered many new techniques and technologies. He turned his back on politics after his spell as health minister in Gordon Brown's government.

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