NHS England boss Sir Simon Stevens will be made a peer once he has stepped down as chief executive at the end of July, the Government has said.

Sir Stevens notified the NHS England Board of his decision to stand down as planned at the end of July, after more than seven years as NHS chief executive, the organisation said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sir Simon had led the NHS “with great distinction”.

“I want to thank him for his dedicated service throughout – but especially when facing the extraordinary pressures of the past year, and for his huge contribution to our vaccine rollout,” said Mr Johnson.

Number 10 said he was to be made a peer.

A statement said: “The Queen has been pleased to confer a peerage of the United Kingdom for Life on Sir Simon Stevens, upon him stepping down as chief executive of NHS England.”

In a statement through NHS England, Sir Simon said: “Joining the health service in my early twenties was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, followed three decades later by the privilege of leading the NHS through some of the toughest challenges in its history.

“The people of this country have rightly recognised the extraordinary service of NHS staff during this terrible pandemic, as well as the success of our Covid vaccination deployment.

“As the pandemic recedes in this country, the NHS’s track record in advancing medical progress in a way that works for everyone rightly continues to inspire young people to join one of the greatest causes – health and high quality care for all, now and for future generations.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock was among those who paid tribute to the Sir Simon’s work during his time as NHS England chief.

He said: “Throughout his tenure Sir Simon Stevens has been a steadfast and sage leader for our National Health Service, and that has been especially true during this most testing period in NHS history.

“His leadership has helped NHS staff to overcome unprecedented adversity and keep services open for millions of patients in the face of this global pandemic.

“The past seven years has seen Sir Simon make a formidable contribution to the running and transformation of health and care services in England, which will no doubt endure for years to come.

“I want to thank him personally for his service to the NHS in England, and I wish him all the best for the future including his new role in the House of Lords.”