THE new chief executive of the north Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust has been named as Mike Deegan currently chief executive of Warrington Hospital.

The new trust will be formed from the merger of Halton General Hospital NHS Trust and Warrington Hospital NHS Trust.

Trust chairman Norman Banner made the announcement after consultation with recently appointed non-executive directors Dr John Beacham and Doreen Shotton.

Mr Deegan will take up the post of acting chief executive enabling important decisions to be taken until he formally becomes chief executive on April 1.