FATHER-OF-THREE Chris Appleby has been appointed head of the newly-formed Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which will cover Bury.

Mr Appleby (46) will bring with him nearly 26 years of experience to the post of chief executive of one of the largest acute hospital trusts in the country.

It will replace Bury Health Care NHS Trust as well as the trusts governing North Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale in May.

Mr Appleby started his career with the health service in the North Regional Health Authority as an accountancy trainee in 1976.

In 1999, he was instrumental in the merger of the Royal Hull Hospitals NHS Trust and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, after which he became the chief executive of the newly-created trust.

He said: "I am looking forward to taking up this new and exciting role. It is crucial that at all times the patient is the centre of our focus.

"The new trust presents a great opportunity to bring together five existing hospitals. It will take a strategic approach to pushing forward the development of services for patients.

"However we must not lose sight of the fact that local services should be able to maintain their independence within local communities."