The newly appointed chief executive of the region’s ‘inadequate’ mental health trust has been described as an “inspirational leader”.

Governors at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) have today formally approved Antek Lejk’s employment and he is expected to start work in the spring.

Mr Lejk joins the trust from his current position as chief officer for South Norfolk and North Norfolk clinical commissioning groups.

He has extensive experience in the NHS and has led two mental health organisations.

The new boss said he hoped to turn around the fortunes of NSFT, which was rated ‘inadequate’ by the Care Quality Commission at the end of 2017 and placed into special measures for the second time within three years.

“I am excited and proud to be asked to help lead NSFT,” Mr Lejk said. “I am especially looking forward to meeting service users, carers and staff.

“I have always had a particular interest and passion for mental health. I have led two mental health organisations in the past and I am keen to help NSFT move on from its current difficulties and emerge a stronger, even better organisation serving the people of Norfolk and Suffolk.”

NSFT chairman Gary Page said the board was “delighted to have someone of Antek’s calibre and evident experience” join the team.

Mr Page said: “He is a leader who commands great respect from the people who work with him, and we believe he will be exactly the kind of inspirational leader we need to continue to make our trust a better place to receive services and to work within.

“One of his first jobs will be to appoint to the vacant substantive executive director posts and, in doing so, continue to further strengthen our executive team and enable them to lead our trust in making its quality improvements.”

Mr Page said interim chief executive Julie Cave, who filled the void after Michael Scott’s departure, had done an “excellent job” and would continue to lead the trust until Mr Lejk arrived.

An interview panel comprising the trust’s non-executive directors (NEDs), a representative from NHS Improvement, a chairperson from another NHS trust and a service user, made the recommendation for Mr Lejk to be appointed chief executive.

This then went before the trust’s remuneration committee and finally NSFT’s council of governors.