Brent's local NHS trust has just appointed its next chief operating officer (COO) to lead the service after the retirement of former COO Robyn Doran.

Central and north west London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) announced the new appointment of Graeme Caul today (February 22).

Hailing from just north of Belfast, Graeme, 44, has lived in London since 2005 and first joined the CNWL team in Camden in September 2010.

He said he is "really excited" to take up his new role.

He added: "The trust has been amazing in supporting my development and growth."

"Having the opportunity to be an executive to help lead strategy and make a difference for the services we are providing is just phenomenal."

The new COO was a borough director and then a service director before taking his first managing director role in 2017.

For the past three years he has led Goodall, the largest division of the trust, as well as chairing the Camden Integrated Care Partnership and leading several systemwide programmes in north west and north central London

Lead governor of CNWL, Cllr Ketan Sheth, said Graeme is "the best person for this tough job".

"CNWL is a big NHS organisation, and needs someone who knows the community so services are local, and focused on high quality patient care," the councillor added.

Camden resident Graeme married his long-term partner Xavier in 2016. He is the proud dad of two children.

He says his new role is particularly special as a local whose children, neighbours and friends are "touched by" CNWL services.

Graeme has a passion for children's care and in his spare time, he loves theatre and eating out.

After a national search to fill the role, chief executive Claire Murdoch, said, “Graeme is a talented and experienced manager and it is particularly good to see how we’ve been able to grow our own."

She added that staff were also saying "many heartfelt goodbyes to the beloved former COO Robyn".

Retiring COO Robyn will be remembered for her leadership in the trust's intervention with the Grenfell community and as a champion for staff, patient safety as well as equality and diversity agendas at the trust.

Robyn has been with the CNWL for 14 years.