Brenda Howard

new agenda for health.

Ms Howard replaces Miles Scott, who has become director of service development at Sheffield's Northern General Hospital trust.

Dickon Weir-Hughes has been appointed chief nurse and director of patient services at Royal Marsden Hospital trust. He is currently assistant director of nursing at Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare trust and, in a voluntary capacity, deputy chief officer for nursing and social care at St John Ambulance headquarters.

St Helens and Knowsley health authority has appointed three new non-executive directors. They are Gillian Harris, former chief executive of St Helens housing association, Patricia Martinez-Williams, a member of the borough council, and Christina O'Hare, who is also a councillor.

Redbridge and Waltham Forest health authority also has new non-executive directors. They are Shushila Patel, chair of Redbridge refugee forum and a consultant on health and race relations, and Linda Miller, who left a senior post in financial services to bring up a family.

Anne Marie Carrie, head of education with East Lothian council, Lesley Hinds, an Edinburgh city councillor, and Margie Taylor, a consultant in dental public health for Lanarkshire health board, have been made members of the health education board for Scotland.

Kate Minto, therapy manager at West Lancashire trust, has been re-elected as chair of council for the British Association and College of Occupational Therapists for the third time.

Thames Gateway trust chair Brigita Amey has become patron of the Whole Person Therapy Trust, a Maidstone-based organisation that uses complementary therapies to promote quality of life for people affected by long-term or terminal illness.

Sir Bernard Zissman has taken over as chair of Good Hope Hospital trust in Sutton Coldfield from Doug Ellis, who has taken early retirement. Sir Bernard was a member of Birmingham city council for 30 years and Lord Mayor in 1990- 91.