ONE of the largest NHS hospital trusts in the North-East has appointed a new chairman.

Professor Paul Keane will become the new chairman of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust on March 1, replacing Dr Tony Waites, whose term of office ends on February 28.

The professor is shortly to retire after a successful career in the NHS and as the dean of the school of health and social care at Teesside University.

He is currently the North East Universities’ nominated governor to County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.

In this role, he has chaired the governors’ quality and healthcare governance committee and the governors’ strategy committee and, most recently, has chaired the clinical reference group, an expert panel of the Trust’s clinicians involved in informing and designing the Trust’s clinical strategy.

Prof Keane, who was awarded an OBE in 2010 for his services to health care, said, “I am delighted and honoured to be appointed as chairman of this trust. I appreciate that it will be a demanding responsibility in the current climate but I am looking forward to working with all employees in the organisation to ensure we deliver the best quality care to the population we serve”.

Outgoing Chairman Dr Tony Waites said he was sure that the appointment of Professor Keane would leave the trust in good hands.

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest integrated care providers in England, serving a population of around 600,000 people across County Durham, Darlington, North Yorkshire, the Tees Valley and South Tyneside.

It runs Darlington Memorial Hospital, the University Hospital of North Durham, Bishop Auckland Hospital, Chester-le-Street Community Hospital and Shotley Bridge Community Hospital