THREE NHS mental health chiefs have resigned from their posts, it was announced today.

Avon and Wiltshire Partnership Mental Health NHS Trust lost three of its senior board members during their monthly meeting today.

Chief executive Iain Tulley and two non-executive boards members handed in their notice but AWP has said the resignations are not linked.

Iain is moving to Qatar to set up a new mental health service, non-executive director Lee O’Bryan has cited family commitments while Tony McNiff stepped away from the role due to increased work pressures.

A spokesman for the trust said: “AWP chairman, Tony Gallagher, took the opportunity at our monthly board meeting today to announce that the chief executive of the trust and two non-executive board members had resigned.

"There are no links between these resignations, each being tendered at differing times and for varying reasons.

“Early in 2016, Chief Executive Iain Tulley will be moving to Qatar and taking up the challenge of a lifetime to help the country set up a properly integrated mental health service, based on recommendations from the World Health Organization.

“Non-executive director Lee O’Bryan has stood down from his role and chosen not to seek renewal of his term of office which ended on 14 October 2016. This decision was due to family commitments.

“Non-executive director Tony McNiff gave notice some time ago due to growing work pressures, but is continuing in his role to allow the trust time to appoint a replacement.

“These two non-executive director roles are currently being advertised on the NHS Trust Development Agency’s appointments website.

“We are grateful to Lee and Tony for their commitment to the work of the trust and we wish them and Iain well for the future.

“Service across the trust will continue, with a smooth transition to the new appointments.

The resignations come at a difficult time for the trust. 

Last week AWP apologised after a Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman investigation found they had caused unnecessary distress to the family of a man who committed suicide last year.

And in September it was revealed waiting times for appointments at the trust’s Victoria Centre-based Memory Services clinic have also risen to nine-months, almost three years after NHS Swindon pledged to cut waiting times.