A WORCESTERSHIRE health chief has taken the helm of a new national assembly for NHS bosses.

John Rostill, chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, has been named chairman of the 204-member NHS Employers group.

He addressed the assembly, whose members are drawn from all types of NHS organisations, in London last week.

Mr Rostill said: "First and foremost, we are about improving patients' care but one of the best ways of achieving this is by continuing to improve the working lives of our staff and by making the NHS one of the best employers in the country."

The assembly will meet twice a year to discuss issues such as pay, recruitment and equality and Mr Rostill is also chairman of the assembly's policy board, which will meet four to six times a year.