A TAVISTOCK man has been appointed as the new chairman of Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust.
Professor John Bull, a former vice chancellor of the University of Plymouth, will take up his new position on November 1, following the retirement of the present chairman, Russ Mitchell.
Professor Bull said: 'I am delighted to have this opportunity of closer involvement with the trust's highly regarded hospitals and hard-working staff.
'I have been a trust board member for several years and in my work at the university, I was closely associated with the development of health studies and the Peninsula Medical School.
'I am looking forward to working with new colleagues, not only in the trust but in the wider health community, and to building links with patients and the communities we serve.'
Mr Mitchell said he was 'very pleased' that a serving member of the board had been chosen as his successor. 'I think this will ensure a degree of continuity as well as an awareness of the challenges which lie ahead,' he said.
Professor Bull, who is 62, has worked at universities and colleges in London and Leeds as well as in Plymouth and has served on many public bodies. He is also the current chairman of the Learning and Skills Council for Devon and Cornwall.