A BRENTWOOD man has become the first person to take over the NHS Twitter account as part of a new initiative.

The voluntary scheme will see a new patient or staff member take control of the @NHS account every week to highlight the work that goes on in the health service in England.

The first person to take on the mantle is patient Richard Orchard, from Brentwood.

The 40-year-old is being treated for non-Hodgkin lymphoma Queen's Hospital in Romford.

He wrote: "I'm the @NHS account's first ever curator and I'm looking forward to sharing my journey with you for the week.

"It's been an eventful time since being diagnosed, I hope some of my experiences will strike a chord with fellow cancer patients."

Jane Cummings, chief nursing officer for England, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for our much valued patients and NHS staff to hold a magnifying glass up to the system, so we can learn from their experiences, as we continue with our ambition to improve the way that care is delivered."

Rob Owers, head of news and government partnerships at Twitter UK, said: "From patients to paramedics, the people taking control of the account will be sharing powerful stories and experiences that others will be able to relate to and empathise with."

The account follows in the footsteps of @sweden and @ireland, which sees a different citizen take control of the government account each week.

The @ireland account drew controversy in August when one of its guest editors, Michelle Marie, was victim of racist abuse after taking over the reins.