Dr Anjula Mehta will be joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust as the new Joint Chief Medical Officer from June.

Anjula is an experienced GP and joins from Swansea Bay University Health Board where she is currently the Deputy Executive Medical Director.

She has been appointed to the role following a competitive process and will work alongside current Chief Medical Officer Mark Hamilton.

Anjula will lead on clinical transformation and operational delivery while Mark will continue to lead on education, research and strategic direction and change.

Anjula brings with her a wealth of experience in influencing the strategic organisational direction at board level and providing system wide clinical leadership.

She successfully led on a number of large-scale transformation projects such as the implementation of a Virtual Ward service, and integrated frailty pathways, outpatient transformation and the introduction of the national Health Pathways programme to streamline secondary care referrals.

Anjula said: "I am truly honoured to join University Hospital Plymouth NHS Trusts as the Chief Medical Officer for Clinical Transformation and Operational Delivery.

“I look forward to working alongside an exceptional team to build on the great progress at UHP and further advance our shared commitment to providing compassionate, high-quality care.

“I am confident that together, we will continue to improve patient outcomes and ensure the well-being of the communities we serve.”

Interim Chief Executive Mark Hackett said: “Clinical leadership is at the heart of the way we will improve and develop high quality services for patients.

“We want clinical staff closest to patient care to lead those services and Anjula’s appointment will help us further strengthen our clinical leadership arrangements and realise this vision.

“Her experience as a leader and a clinician herself will be a great advantage, coming at a time when nationally and locally we are working hard to develop services in the community, in or closer to people’s home, where patients really want to be. “