Previously joint chair for Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, Sir David was also chair of Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust between February 2011 and February 2019.

Earlier in his career, Sir David was chair of the North West Strategic Health Authority between 2006 and 2010 and was chief executive of Liverpool City Council between 1989 and 1999.

Sir David takes over from Raj Jain, who served as chair of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside from July 2022.