A NEW chairman has been appointed by the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust.

Andrew Haigh, 57, has been a non-executive on the board since December and succeeds late chairman Sukhdev Sharma who died in April.

Mr Haigh (pictured), has lived in Huddersfield all his life and for the last 15 years in Almondbury. He is married with two daughters.

Mr Haigh will earn about £48,000 a year for the post, which will see him working three days each week.

He said: “I am immensely proud to be appointed to this role heading up the 6,000 staff providing care for the populations of Huddersfield and Halifax.

“It is without doubt a very challenging and difficult time for the NHS yet this Trust is well-placed to face them and, I am confident, will thrive in the months ahead and continue to deliver the quality healthcare our patients and their families have come to expect.”

Mr Haigh trained as a chartered accountant at Armitage and Norton in Huddersfield and moved to KPMG.

He specialised in IT risk management, audit and advice working primarily in retail financial services, payment services and the public sector.

His appointment was ratified by the Trust’s Membership Council.