A TOP Cumbrian NHS boss is leaving her chief executive position at Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT).

Claire Molloy will be joining the Pennine Trust in September to take on the chief executive role.

“I’m very pleased to have been appointed to Pennine Care but I will be leaving Cumbria with a very heavy heart," she said. "It is something I had been contemplating for a combination of reasons and it’s been an extremely difficult decision.

"I have loved working for Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and with the people I’ve met over the last four years and together we have been on a tremendous organisational journey. This has given me a rich personal learning experience and I have taken such a lot from the experience and our achievements."

However, she added that the new job would enable her to be closer to her family.

"I do feel that with the progress that we have made, CPFT is in a strong position to continue that improvement journey with the strong leadership community we have and the strong relationships we have built with other leaders across Cumbria," she said. "I’m confident that this will continue to make a difference for our staff and patients into the future."