THE longest-serving finance boss of a health trust in North Staffordshire has left for a more strategic job in the NHS.

David Edwards has been financial director with Combined Healthcare Trust since it was formed 16 years ago.

The former Stoke City director has joined the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority, with responsibilities for liaising with the area's primary care trusts which purchase care on behalf of the public.

Combined initially ran metal health, elderly care and learning disability services but it has now shrunk to being just a specialist psychiatric trust with a budget of about £80 million.

Staff leaders praised Mr Edwards for his stewardship of the organisation's funds.

Jenny Harvey, secretary of the North Staffordshire's community health branch of the Unison union, said: "As finance director he always kept Combined's budgets in balance when so many other trusts were failing to do so."