A new boss has been appointed to help ease management problems at the troubled West Sussex Health Authority.

Candy Morris, head of Scunthorpe and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust, will step in as health authority chief executive on October 2.

As the authority announced the new post, its chairman Richard Irwin also revealed he will step down in October after four years in the post.

The staff changes come amid turbulence within the authority.

The appointments panel, which made its decision last Friday, chose Ms Morris from four candidates. Acting chief executive Michael Taylor said: "Candy Morris will be working closely with the local health community to further develop modern, high quality health care services for the people of West Sussex."

Trevor Richards, chief officer with community health councils representing Worthing and Mid Sussex, hoped the appointment of a female chief executive in the male-dominated world of the NHS in West Sussex would signal a fresh step forward for managers.

He said: "She is the one who will have to pick up the ball in relation to Michael Taylor's report and run with it."

In March, former chief Peter Catchpole quit his £90,000-a-year post to pursue an academic career as the organisation battled to clear a five-year-old £6 million debt.

In May, Mr Taylor slated management for lacking accountability and leadership, calling for fundamental changes in the way it was run.

He said the board had been negligent by not seeing its massive debt as motivation for change and suggested a reorganisation to shave between 70 and 90 posts.

Mr Irwin said: "I remain convinced of the important and unique contribution that can be made to the health of the population by an effective and well-motivated Health Authority."