HEALTH Secretary Frank Dobson was today on the verge of appointing a new chairman for East Lancashire's Communicare Health Trust.

And it is understood that former chief Sheila Maw is the favourite to get the job.

Subject to last-minute confirmation, Whitehall sources indicated that the former chairman would be reappointed despite the three-month delay since her previous term of office came to an end on October 31.

She is understood to have had the support of Labour MPs in the area as well as Ribble Valley Tory Nigel Evans. One senior figure said that it was probable she would be receiving a letter confirming her appointment within days.

But the delay has infuriated both Labour and Tory MPs in the area and Mr Dobson's imminent decision follows intense lobbying by Hyndburn Labour MP Greg Pope.

He said: "It is a matter of great concern to me and to my constituents that this has taken so long to sort out.

"I have been making representations to the Secretary of State for Health that he make an appointment as quickly as possible. "I accept that there has been a huge backlog of these appointments to make, but I do urge Frank Dobson to make an appointment quickly."

Community health councils in the area covered by Communicare - Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley - have led protests over the delay.

And today Mr Evans furiously condemned Mr Dobson's lack of action.

He said: "It is almost three months since we were left in limbo and this is appalling.

"It is appalling in two ways - firstly in that it has left patients in the area without a health trust chairman and secondly because of the treatment of Sheila Maw.

"It is an insult to the people of East Lancashire and an insult to her.

"I understand that her reappointment has been strongly supported by local people including Labour MPs.

"She has done an excellent job and did not deserve to be left for weeks without knowing where she stood.

"The Labour government seems to have been running a vendetta against anyone on health trusts with Conservative connections, and there is a suspicion that Mrs Maw - a former Tory leader of the Ribble Valley Council - is a victim of that vendetta.

"It is appalling that the health trust, its staff and its patients should suffer as a result of this."

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