Amar will be stepping away from his CQO role in early 2026, after almost nine years on the Board as England's first ever CQO, and 15 years in the organisation.
A recruitment process is now under way to find a talented successor to lead the Trust’s continuing quality journey.
ELFT Chief Executive Lorraine Sunduza OBE has described Amar as an exceptional colleague, leader and innovator.
“Amar has been an integral part of our Trust’s journey, shaping our approach to quality, improvement, and learning in a way that has had lasting impact not only within ELFT but across the NHS and internationally," she said.
His passion for continuous improvement, his commitment to our values of care, respect and inclusivity and his unwavering belief in the potential of people have left an indelible mark on our organisation.
Under Amar’s leadership, ELFT has become recognised as a global leader in quality improvement. He has inspired and supported staff, service users, and partners to test new ideas and drive meaningful change. His approach has helped embed a culture of curiosity, reflection, and co-production across the Trust.
On a personal note, I have worked alongside Amar for many years, from our early days in the Forensic Directorate . His support for service users, his vision, and his generosity of spirit have inspired me as much as he has inspired so many others. I will truly miss working with him and want to express my deepest gratitude for his exceptional leadership and all that I have learnt from him.”
Amar will continue in his consultant forensic psychiatrist role at ELFT, and his national clinical director for improvement role, for which he is seconded from ELFT to NHS England.
"Fifteen years at ELFT has flown by," he said.
"It has been such a privilege to be trusted with leading the organisation's quality journey over this period. ELFT has been very kind to me - offering me opportunities to learn and practice which have changed the direction of my career, and influenced the rest of the country's approach to quality.
The greatest joy has been to support, nurture and witness the creativity and enthusiasm of our fantastic service users and staff, to make things better in the complex world of health and care.
My deepest thanks to the organisation, and to every single person for your continuing efforts to improve - every single idea, and every single effort, adds up to something that can be magical.
Through whatever comes next, I know that ELFT will hold on to the belief that involving people with lived experience, and tackling our most complex challenges through the systematic approach of quality improvement, will enable us to find a path forwards."
>> Recruitment notice for ELFT Chief Quality Officer