The region's mental health trust has promoted its chief operating officer to become its new leader.

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust has appointed Stuart Richarson as its chief executive after three years in his current role as chief operating officer.

Mr Richardson, who became deputy chief executive earlier this year, will succeed interim chief executive Dr Adam Morris.

Mr Richardson said: "I feel so privileged to have been given the opportunity to lead the trust. I have learned so much from service users, colleagues and partners in my time at NSFT as we have worked together to improve services and we will continue to listen and improve."

Mr Richardson, who lives in Suffolk, has 28 years of experience starting as a learning disability nurse.

He has worked in mental health and learning disability services before taking on clinical and service lead roles.

Dr Morris came into the role for six months while a replacement for the retiring Jonathan Warren was found.

Dr Morris has been chief executive at Livewell Southwest, a community interest company providing integrated NHS mental and community health and care services in Devon.

Mason Fitzgerald was due to become chief executive of the trust in April, but withdrew his application after it was found he had never graduated with a Law degree.

Marie Gabriel, chair of NSFT, said: “I am pleased to announce that Stuart Richardson has been appointed as our new chief executive.

“As a hugely compassionate, respectful and inclusive person, Stuart lives the values we hold close as a trust. He is dedicated to quality, safety and what matters most to service users, their carers and the people he works with.

“We have come such a long way since 2018, and I am convinced, after a robust recruitment process, that Stuart’s leadership will enable us to move to the next stage of our improvement journey and enable us to sustain our progress.

“I would like to thank all the service users, carers, staff, governors and partners who took part in the recruitment process. Their insights and feedback were essential in helping us to make this appointment."