Laurie Capel, former chief executive of Northumbria Ambulance Service trust, has been appointed acting chief executive of the newly formed North East Ambulance Service trust. Robert Alabaster, former chief executive of Durham County Ambulance Service trust, has become acting director of corporate affairs. Other interim appointments include David Hodge, former NAS director of human resources, as acting director of human resources, Steve Whinfield, former NAS deputy chief executive, as acting director of operations, and Roger French, former DCAS director of finance, as acting director of finance.

The newly formed North Tees and Hartlepool trust has a chief executive - Joan Rogers, formerly chief executive of Hartlepool and East Durham trust.

Christopher Grimes, former head of the health services division of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, has become a non-executive director of West Surrey health authority. Rama Sekhawat, a magistrate and voluntary sector worker, has also joined the HA as a non-executive director.

The British Heart Foundation has a new medical director, Professor Sir Charles George, who will take over when Professor Brian Pentecost retires in July. Professor George is currently professor of clinical pharmacology at Southampton University.