Derek Smith, chief executive of King's Healthcare trust, is leaving at the end of this month to become managing director of London Underground. He has led the trust for nine years. The trust's director of finance and information services, Patrick Butcher, will become acting chief executive until a successor is recruited.

Welsh secretary Alun Michael has announced the appointment of chairs for the trusts being established in Wales on 1 April. They are: Russell Hopkins, a retired surgeon, who will chair Bro Morgannwg trust; Tom Norreys, a retired businessman, who will chair Carmarthenshire trust; Michael Griffith, 65, who will chair Conwy and Denbighshire trust; Peter Law, a local government consultant and councillor, who will chair Gwent trust; Lloyd Fitzhugh, a farmer, who will chair North East Wales trust; Hefin Davies, the manager of a slate company, who will chair North West Wales trust; Ian Kelsall, 68, who will chair Pontypridd and Rhondda trust, and John Button, retired chief executive of West Glamorgan health authority, who will chair Swansea trust. All have previously chaired Welsh trusts.

Helena Shovelton has been appointed chair of the Audit Commission. She was formerly chair of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, but has been a member of the Audit Commission since 1995.

Graham Williams, director of personal services at Bridgend county borough council, will become chief inspector of social services to the Welsh Office when David Evans retires at the end of February.

The founder of the Relatives Association, Dorothy White, has died, aged 74. She joined the Ministry of Health in 1945 and worked on the introduction of the NHS, maternity and child welfare until1958. She later worked for the Department of Education and Science. She was awarded the OBE in 1993 for voluntary work in Barnet.

Alyson Hall

has become medical director of Tower Hamlets Healthcare trust. She is a consultant child psychiatrist and has been the trust's head of service for child and adolescent mental health since 1995.

Keep us posted

Please send details of senior appointments, indicating whether a photograph is available, to Lyn Whitfield at HSJ, Greater London House, Hampstead Road, London NW1 7EJ, or fax 0171-874 0254, or e-mail: lynw@healthcare.emap.co.uk.

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