Arthur Binns has become project director for the health action zone covering Leicester city.

Janet Coster has been appointed as director of NHS Direct in West Yorkshire. She previously worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Newcastle, heading its NHS Healthcare management consultancy service.

A new non-executive director has been appointed to Mid Essex Hospital Services trust. She is Elisabeth Fraser, a school manager.

Frank Davies has retired after eight years as chair of Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre trust in Oxford.

Steve Coventry, formerly a non-executive director of Hillingdon Hospital trust, has become its chair.

Queen Victoria Hospital trust in East Grinstead has a new chair. He is Garry Martin, whose career has been in the construction industry.

Linda Riordan, chair of the leisure services committee at Calderdale council, has become a non-executive director of Calderdale Healthcare trust.

Whittington Hospital trust has two new non-executive directors. They are Professor Michael Worton, vice-provost of University College London, and Peter Farmer, managing partner of the consulting services division of PricewaterhouseCoopers in central Europe.

The Royal Marsden trust has a new non-executive director - Francine Bates, deputy chief executive of the Carers National Association.

John Appleby has taken up a new post with the King's Fund as director of its health systems programme. He was previously a senior lecturer in health economics at the school of health policy and practice at the University of East Anglia.

David Percy has been appointed director of education and training for the new South East regional office of the NHS Executive. Dr Percy was director of postgraduate general practice education and associate postrgaduate dean of the Wessex Deanery.

A prominent GP leader has announced she is leaving general practice this summer to become secretary to Beds and Herts local medical committee. Judy Gilley is also giving up her role as joint deputy chair of the British Medical Association's GPs Committee.