A HEALTH supremo has been left in limbo after a delay in the appointment of NHS trust chairmen.

Sheila Maw is anxiously waiting to hear if she has been re-elected as the £17,000 a year head of the CommuniCare NHS Trust Board.

Her appointment ended on October 31, but she has still not heard whether she has been chosen by Health Secretary Frank Dobson to spearhead the trust for another four years.

Two non-executive directors are also waiting to hear if they have been reappointed to CommuniCare, which provides community health services in Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley.

The delay means that Mrs Maw is effectively not allowed to chair meetings or receive any pay until she is re-appointed. Vice-chairman Barry Barnes is chairing CommuniCare meetings until the top post is confirmed.

The NHS Executive in the North West today blamed the delay on the large number of applicants for the posts.

A spokeswoman said: "The reason for the delay is simple; there have been a lot of vacancies this year and a lot of interviewing to be done.

"There have been so many candidates and the sheer number of people who have applied this time has caused delays not only in NHS trusts in the North West, but across the UK.

"The procedure is a year-round process and things had to be put on hold during the General Election campaign."

Mrs Maw, whose husband Michael worked as a GP in Padiham for 30 years, is a former member of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Community Health Council.

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