A new Hertfordshire health supremo will take up his newly-created role on Monday.


Jim McManus will help prepare and oversee the transfer of public health responsibilities from the NHS to the county council in April 2013 as part of national reforms.

Mr McManus was recruited from Birmingham City Council and Birmingham Primary Care Trust, where he was Joint Director of Public Health.

He said: “I’m delighted to taking up this new post and the challenge of transferring responsibilities into the county council.”

Dr Jane Halpin, chief executive of NHS Hertfordshire, said: “We are looking forward to forging close working relationships between these new NHS organisations and Jim and his team at the County Council so that together we can improve the health of people living in Hertfordshire.”

Jim will work within NHS Hertfordshire until public health officially transfers in April 2013.