Nightingale Hammerson chief executive Leon Smith will step down at the end of 2013 after more than 40 years with the care home charity. He will become an external ambassador for Nightingale.

Mr Smith has helped the charity to become a leader in the provision of dementia care — Nightingale’s state-of-the-art £6.5 million dementia wing was opened in 2011. The search for his successor is under way.

“Nightingale Hammerson has been a huge part of my life and after 40 years I feel that it is time to hand over the reins to someone else,” Mr Smith said. “My new role is going to be very important in the coming period.”