Chris was appointed as executive medical director from 1 February 2016 and combined this role with that of National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England, a post he held until September 2018. Chris holds an honorary Clinical Professor position at the Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre and continues to hold an honorary professor position at Imperial College, London.

Chris was the Medical Director and Responsible Officer at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust from 2013 until 2016 during which period he was also the vice chairman of the London Clinical Senate. As Medical Director he was responsible for all aspects of the clinical strategy, clinical governance and medical professional leadership for a London teaching hospital with over 1000 doctors. He was also the executive director with responsibility for research and medical education. 

Before moving to London Chris was Medical Director at The Christie between 2005 and 2013. During this time he led the work leading to development of the networked radiotherapy satellite facilities in Salford and Oldham and established the long term clinical strategy for the Christie. He established Manchester Cancer an integrated cancer system which has since evolved into the Greater Manchester Cancer programme and designated as part of the national cancer vanguard. Between 2010 and 2012 he was seconded part time to NHS London to lead development of cancer services across the capital, establishing the arrangements for the two London based integrated cancer systems which are also part of the national cancer vanguard. 

He had previously held posts as head of the regional cancer team at North West Regional Office, deputy regional director of public health at North West Regional Office, director of the Greater Manchester Health Protection Unit and medical director and director of public health at Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority. From 1992 he was director of public health for The South Lancashire Health Authority (Ormskirk, Chorley, South Ribble) and in 1996 director of public health and commissioning for North West Lancashire Health Authority (Preston and Blackpool). During this period he was the executive director responsible for overseeing the development of the new radiotherapy service in Preston.

He has been involved in numerous national and international committees relating to cancer care, quality of care and standards of clinical practice. He led the first region wide cancer peer review programme and later chaired the accreditation committee of the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes which oversaw the peer review programme for cancer centres in Europe. He is frequently invited to lecture on cancer care policy in the UK and abroad.