SIX new appointments have been made to the newly established Cumbria and Lancashire Health Authority, which was set up in April.

The non-executive directors, who complete the line-up for the authority's new board, will join chairman Kath Reade, who moved to the post from her previous post with East Lancashire Health Authority.

Janaid Qureshi, Jane Putsey, Alan Bullen, Margaret Chadwick, Margaret Fox and Ian Pirnie will all start work for the organisation, which represents a population of 1.9 million, immediately.

Mrs Reade said: "I am delighted with the non-executives appointed, as they are drawn from a wide geographical area, have a complementary range of backgrounds and will bring to a variety of skills to our team, as we tackle a huge and challenging new agenda focussed on improvement to people's health and health care services."

The authority, which will be based on the Sharoe Green Hospital in north Preston, has already appointed chief executive Pearse Butler and directors Gill Dolan, Dr Ann Hoskins, Beverley Humphrey and Geoff Minns.

Janaid Qureshi, who has lived in Blackburn for the past 35 years, was a non-executive member of the East Lancashire Health Authority for seven years and is also an active community member in a variety of organisations.

Mother-of-three Jane Putsey, who lives in Preston, is currently a trustee of the breastfeeding network, and is also involved in community groups including Age Concern in Preston and the South Lancashire Maternity Services Liaison committee.

Ian Pirnie, who lives in Coniston Water, was chairman of the Morecambe Bay Health Authority , and has held a series of top posts in local organisations, including non-executive director of Cumbria Ambulance Services between 1992 and 1994 and also chairman of the local economic development agency Furness Enterprise between 1993 and 2000.

Margaret Fox, who lives in Whitehaven, was a non-executive member of the North Cumbria Health Authority until March this year and has taught in primary, grammar and comprehensive schools and worked as an advisory teacher for special needs.

Margaret Chadwick, who lives in Lancaster, was a non-executive member of the Furness Hospitals Trust between 1992 and 1996 and is currently chairman of Forum Northwest.

Alan Bullen, who has been a local councillor in west Lancashire for 30 years, was also recently chairman of South Lancashire Health Authority.

The authority will be holding its public meetings at venues which are accessible to people in both counties.

The next in Lancashire will be held at the Lancashire Care Trust headquarters in Walton Summit, Bamber Bridge on Thursday, June 20.