Sean Donaghy is stepping down as Northern Trust chief

THE head of the Northern Ireland health care which plans to close all its residential care homes is stepping down, it has been announced.

Sean Donaghy is leaving his post as chief executive of the Northern Trust.

He is taking up a new appointment with Health and Social Care Board.

Mr Donaghy has been the Northern Trust chief executive since September 2010.

Last week it was announced that the Northern Trust was shutting all its nursing homes.