Long-serving nurse to lead on national mental health strategy

Mental health nurse Claire Murdoch has been appointed NHS England's new NHS national mental health director.

She has been chief executive of Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, one of England's largest integrated community and mental health trusts, for the past two years and will take on her new role on secondment, while remaining in her chief executive role.

Ms Murdoch worked as a mental health nurse for 34 years and will play a leading role in implementing the plans set out in the recently published five-year vision by NHS England’s independent Mental Health Taskforce.

Commenting on her appointment, Ms Murdoch said: ‘I have a passion for community and mental health services and the essential partnership working that goes with it, especially alongside those who use services.

‘I have lived through one revolution in mental health care, when the old asylums closed and I have been privileged to be part of many advances since that time. It’s now time to press ahead with the next generation of improvement. I can’t remember a time of either greater challenge or opportunity. This is both a little daunting and very exciting.’