A FORMER North-East hospice manager has been appointed to a key healthcare role in County Durham.

Helen Tucker is the new head nurse and director of operational services and clinical governance for Derwentside Primary Care Trust (PCT).

Mrs Tucker joins the trust from Newcastle, where she was lead nurse and manager for cancer and palliative care. Prior to that, she was chief executive at Teesside Hospice.

She has been in the health service for 31 years, and said she was looking forward to improving the health services provided to the people of Derwentside.

PCT chief executive Wynn Griffiths said: "We are very lucky to be able to appoint a person such as Helen who, with her clinical background and experience in primary care, will play a major role in developing close relationships with local family health services and working with our partners to improve patient services."