Paul Jenkins, chief executive of Rethink Mental Illness, isleaving the charity to take up the same role at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.

Jenkins will be making a move back into the public sector, having worked as director of service development at NHS Direct before his role in the mental health awareness charity.

He tweeted last Friday: “Enormously sad after 7 years to be leaving @Rethink_ , its amazing people and its great work to improve lives of people with mental illness.”

Jenkins led the formation of the Rethink’s Schizophrenia Commission, an independent national commission investigating the state of schizophrenia care in the UK. The charity now works with NHS Trusts to secure improvements in care.

As chief executive of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust he will have control of the day-to-day running of the health and education services it provides.

Trust chair Angel Greatley announced the move, saying:  “I am delighted to welcome Paul to the Trust, he has an impressive professional background which is a good fit for our organisation.

“With the biggest squeeze on NHS funding in history, the appointment comes at a challenging financial time but I am certain he will make a hugely influential and positive contribution to our work here.”

Jenkins said: "I am pleased to be joining the internationally renowned Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. It will be a privilege working with such gifted staff and I am very much looking forward to working in an organisation with a valued past and a great future."

A Rethink Mental Illness spokeswoman said the appointment of Jenkins to the Trust had just been confirmed, so it did not have a plan for appointing a successsor as yet. 

Jenkins is expected to join the Trust in the New Year.