A NEW NHS body serving north Essex residents has appointed its first chairman.

From January 1, community healthcare in Colchester and Tendring will be provided by Anglian Community Enterprise (ACE) Community Interest Company.

It will take responsibility for frontline services from primary care trust NHS North East Essex.

Richard Kearton, pictured left, currently a non-executive director at the trust, will become the firm’s first chairman.

He will head 900 staff who will transfer to the not-for-profit company after the split.

The move will pave the way for the primary care trust to be abolished.

Mr Kearton, 55, a father of three and parent-governor at Great Tey Primary School, has experience of corporate banking and telecommunications, and is currently general manager of corporate social responsibility for BT Group.

He said: “We want to become a social enterprise organisation to help us further improve how we support the health and wellbeing of local people.

“As a social enterprise, we will work even more closely with staff, service users and the community to provide innovation, quality and value for money as we deliver healthcare services to all.”