A unique presence on this list – Dame Barbara is the ultimate poacher-turned-gamekeeper.
A former GP, she has been a senior NHS manager for the best part of a decade, and played a key role in negotiating the new GMS contract in 2004 – from the Department of Health's side.
She now holds one of the most important roles at the DH, as national managing director of commissioning development.
This list appears as part of the top influential non-GPs 2011. To see the rest of the list, and the top 50 GPs, click here.
