The chief executive of a London council has been appointed to lead north east London health and care partnership.

Zina Etheridge has been named chief executive of North East London Integrated Care System (NEL ICS), which covers Havering, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Barking and Dagenham, Hackey and Waltham Forest boroughs.

The NEL ICS aims to ensure that local people receive care in an efficient, effective and joined-up way.

In addition to her role at Haringey Council, held since February 2017, she has also been lead local authority chief executive for the North Central London ICS.

As chair of London Councils’ Chief Executives Network, she helped coordinate the capital’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zina said she was “really excited” to take up the new role.

She added: “The pandemic has shone a spotlight on the health inequalities suffered by many residents, but the fantastic collaborative working across health, local authority and voluntary and community sector partners over the last 18 months demonstrates the impact we can have when we all work together on a common goal.”

She is due to start in early 2022.