Plan hatched for NHS chief Sir David Nicholson to step down Sir David is said to be resisting pressure to make some sort of concession to his critics. However, there is a growing feeling among ministers and officials that he will have to make some sort of statement about his future. The Coalition's NHS reforms will take effect next month, transferring operational control over the service to a new commissioning board run by Sir David. Sources insisted that there was no question of Sir David leaving his post until the new arrangements are in place and running smoothly. "Behind the scenes, Sir David is absolutely crucial to the success of the NHS reforms," said one senior Whitehall source. He is the person who has really got a grip on NHS hospitals and who is driving up standards, for example waiting lists. For him to simply resign tomorrow could have disastrous consequences. However, the source said that the "political and moral" situation meant that he may now have to announce that he will step down at a specified point. A "pre-announced" resignation would also allow a successor to be identified and "brought up to speed" by Sir David. "There is obviously an appreciation that the head of the NHS cannot be attacked day in, day out by politicians and the relatives of victims as he simply cannot continue to get on with his job in that environment," the source said. He hasn't done anything wrong but it's getting to the point politically and morally where someone has to be seen to have taken responsibility for Mid Staffordshire. A second source said that Sir David is not yet prepared to accept the plan to announce his departure. The source said: "Things can't go on like this. The best way out of this would be for him to make some sort of announcement, but I don't know if he's ready to accept that yet. Several ministers are known to believe that Sir David must go, and even others who sympathise with him believe his departure is inevitable. A Government source said: "We don't want to make him a scapegoat, but the NHS is going to need new leadership in due course."