Richard Granger, chief executive of NHS Connecting for Health (CFH), the agency behind the £9bn National Programme for IT in the NHS, announced today that he will step down later this year.

"My decision should be seen in the context of the changing role of the centre of the NHS and the fact that when I took on this challenge I said I would give this job five years," Granger said.

"I passionately believe that the programme will deliver ever greater levels of benefit to patients over the coming years.

"There remain a number of challenges ahead, but I firmly believe that the leadership of the programme by Lord Hunt, David Nicholson and my colleagues within CFH will ensure that these hurdles are overcome."

John O'Brien, an analyst in Ovum's government practice, said that Granger's timing meant that he was leaving the organisation in a state of flux.

"Granger's legacy to the NPfIT will be his strong leadership and commitment to making a difference to the way that the NHS performs its day-to-day duties," he said. "But he will leave behind him an NPfIT in the midst of major change."