Dr Swords, a senior clinician with more than 25 years, has been chief medical director at the Norfolk and Waveney ICB since July 2022 – her substantive role that she will continue.

She is a former medical director at Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Foundation Trust and has also been a consultant physician, specialising in endocrinology, for more than 10 years. She continues to practice as consultant endocrinologist at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr Swords said: ‘There is so much that our two systems can learn from each other and do together to improve people's health, wellbeing and care.'

Ed Garratt, interim chief executive at Norfolk and Waveney ICB and chief executive at SNEE ICB, said: ‘Frankie is an outstanding leader who commands the respect of the medical community locally and nationally.

‘She is an innovative and inspirational leader, and I am delighted to have a clinical leader as our first joint director appointment across our two organisations.'

Dr Swords will take up her new appointment within SNEE ICB with immediate effect.

Dr Andrew Kelso, the current medical director at SNEE ICB, is leaving to take up the chief medical officer role at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow.