Cygnet Health Care has appointed Arokia Antonysamy (pictured) as interim regional medical director for the South.

Antonysamy trained in adult psychiatry and addiction, and has experience working as a senior medical manager within the NHS and the independent sector. She has also been mental health clinical lead for the NHS Benchmarking Network since 2013.

Antonysamy said: “This leadership role will give me the opportunity to help Cygnet further enhance its provision to its service users across its facilities in the South, and help ensure they receive the highest quality of care.”

Cygnet Health Care also appointed Dr Erica de Lange as regional director of psychology for London and the South.

Lange joins Cygnet from St Andrews, where she spent nearly six years in senior roles, including lead consultant clinical psychologist and lead of the psychology team for Essex. She has worked in psychiatric intensive care units, personality disorder services and secure forensic environments.

Lange said: “I am excited to take the next step in my career leading our psychologists in various settings. Our service users are at the heart of all we do, and our focus is to empower them on their therapeutic journey.”

Tony Romero, chief executive of Cygnet Health Care, said: “Dr Arokia Antonysamy and Dr Erica de Lange are both exceptionally devoted and passionate experts within mental health care and their extensive experience will be immensely valuable for Cygnet as we continually strive to offer the highest standard of care. I am sure their contribution supporting service users in our facilities in London and the south will enable us to continue delivering the high standards of care we expect for our patients.”