A MEDICAL director has been appointed to help drive forward patient service improvements across part of Greater Manchester and East Cheshire.

Professor Mo Baguneid, a vascular and endovascular surgeon, will work with medical directors from East Cheshire, Stockport, Tameside and South Manchester NHS trusts to improve services for 1.3 million people.

The four NHS organisations have a combined income of more than £1 billion and between them run Macclesfield, Stepping Hill, Tameside and Wythenshawe hospitals.

They established the ‘Southern Sector Partnership’ to share knowledge, skills and some services for improvements and more efficient ways of working.

Professor Baguneid leaves post as chief of general and vascular surgery at Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi to take up this role. He will lead on clinical collaboration across the four organisations to develop the highest-quality, safe services for local people.

Professor Baguneid was appointed as a consultant vascular surgeon at the University Hospital of South Manchester in 2006, becoming clinical lead for vascular surgery and then deputy medical director of clinical strategy.

He said: “I’m delighted to return to the region and privileged to take this opportunity. “Leading clinical service change provides real opportunity to contribute to major healthcare benefits for patients.”