A mental health trust for Norfolk and Suffolk has appointed a new chief executive following the recently announced departure of his predecessor.

Professor Jonathan Warren, who was deputy chief executive and chief nursing officer at Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, has been appointed to the role at the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) for two years.

He recently joined the NSFT as director of improvement.

He takes over from Antek Lejk, who stepped down as chief executive of the troubled mental health trust earlier this month.

NSFT chairman Marie Gabriel said: “This is really good news for the trust.

“Jonathan is a widely respected and experienced clinical leader and senior manager.

“He is a specialist advisor to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the Mental Health Patient Safety Project.

“He also has a track record of leading improvement in the CQC scores within the organisations he works for and therefore knows what is needed to sustainably improve the quality of NSFT’s services and outcomes for our patients and their loved ones.”

Prof Warren joined Surrey and Borders in November 2017 from East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT).

He had held a similar role and led the work that helped the trust become the first mental health and community trust to achieve an “outstanding” CQC rating.

He also has more than 35 years’ experience in clinical and operational leadership in healthcare.

Prof Warren said: “It’s a real honour to be appointed to this role.

“My focus will be on improving the quality of services and building upon what is already outstanding or good so there is a consistently high standard across the Trust.

“I can only do this with the support of staff and the involvement of service users and carers in constructively improving care.

“I’d like to thank my predecessor Antek Lejk for beginning to lay the groundwork over the past year.

“I intend to build upon that and quicken the pace so that everyone in Norfolk and Suffolk receives the services they should expect and deserve.”