Professor Ian Philp will take on the new role as part of the government's plans to modernise NHS services for older people.

A blueprint on how older people should be treated by the NHS is due for publication this winter.

Professor Philp said his new role would be an "exciting challenge".

"There is much to do and, in order to secure a long term change, we must all address the way we think about older people and their health needs."

Professor Philp said he had three priorities:

• making sure that everyone, regardless of age, has fair access to services and receives treatment on the basis of need
• treating each older person as individual with their own specific, and often complex, needs
• ensuring that there is an integrated approach where agencies work together rather than separately, to provide the highest levels of care

The first meeting will take place next week.

Gordon Lishman, Director General of Age Concern, said: "Age Concern has put the spotlight on age discrimination in the NHS and welcomes the Government's appointment of Professor Sir Ian Philp.

"He faces a tough task rooting out the ageist attitudes which are endemic in the NHS.

"A challenge facing him is persuading the NHS, social services and the private and voluntary sectors to see the big picture in health care for older people and to get them working together not just in winter but all year round to deliver better services."

Professor Philp is Professor of Health Care for Elderly People at the Northern General Hospital.

Prior to accepting this post, he was Director of the Sheffield Institute for Studies in Ageing.

He was also the co-chair of the independent External Reference Group that advised the government on the development of the NSF for Older People.