The man leading a radical overhaul of health services in Kent and Medway is stepping down from his top position at a hospital trust.

After 10 years as chief executive of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Glenn Douglas is to lead the Kent and Medway Sustainability and Transformation Partnership – until now he has been senior responsible officer on a part-time basis.

The board was set up in 2016 to partner hospital trusts with councils and Kent’s eight clinical commissioning groups and to decide how the NHS will work in future as part of a drive to make huge savings.

The changes could see more people treated closer to their homes in the community to relieve the stress on frontline services.

A consultation on the draft masterplan for Kent has been pushed back until after Christmas, but no new date has been given.

Mr Douglas said: “Our plans to work together across health and social care to improve services for people in Kent and Medway are starting to take shape.”

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust chairman David Highton said: “Glenn joined the Trust at its lowest ebb in 2007. Through his leadership and the continued hard work of our staff MTW has improved the quality and safety of the care it provides tens of thousands of patients every year.

Mr Highton added: “The wellbeing of our patients remains our absolute priority and I look forward to working with our acting CEO Jim Lusby over the coming months to reach even more of our goals to improve our patient experience and wellbeing”

Mr Douglas' departure comes days after East Kent Hospitals' chief executive Matthew Kershaw left to join a charity in London.

MTW is due to begin recruitment of a replacement in the coming days.