The Cumberland Infirmary was built with private money

Barbara Cannon has been under pressure since the report by independent inspectors criticised the leadership of the North Cumbria Acute Hospitals Trust.

The chief executive of the trust, Nick Wood, resigned after a draft copy of the report by the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) was published.

Now Mrs Cannon has resigned after the report by the CHI into the trust, which includes flagship Public Finance Initiative (PFI) hospital - Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle - and its sister outfit West Cumberland Hospital.

The report said the trust lacked direction, that poor management was causing overworked staff, and there were tensions between the two hospitals.

The appointment process for a new chief executive is underway, and now a new chairman is needed.

In the interim, Eric Urquhart, the chairman of the North Cumbria Mental Health and Learning Disabilities NHS Trust, will take on the role of chairman.

The director of finance, Peter Scott, is the acting chief executive.

The trust was created by the merger of Cumberland Infirmary and the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, 40 miles away, in April 2001.