The chairman of a cash-strapped health trust is the latest high-ranking board member to depart.

Professor Brian Jewell has announced he will be retiring as head of Airedale NHS Trust at the end of November.

His departure is the latest in a line of health chiefs to quit the board of the Trust which runs Airedale General Hospital, near Steeton, and is battling a £5 million deficit.

Former chief executive Bob Allen left the Trust after being on secondment to the Department of Health for six months. And finance director Janet Crouch, who filled the top job in his absence, also left last month to become head of an NHS IT programme. A number of other non-executive members of the board are also due to depart.

The Trust was awarded just one star in the annual NHS performance ratings published by the Healthcare Commission this year.

This loss of a star was mainly because of its failure to improve its financial management and it recently announ-ced its decision to axe 40 jobs in a bid to reduce its £5million debt by £1million.

Prof Jewell, 70, of Ilkley, who has been with the Trust since 1999, said: "I feel the opportunity to bring in a new chairman at a time when the Trust is taking on new challenges is too good to be missed.

"A number of non-executive colleagues will also be coming to the end of their terms at Airedale so it makes sense for the new chairman to be involved in the appointment of their replacements.

"This will ensure that the Trust approaches NHS foundation status with a Trust board that has the skills and experience required to make a success of what will be a vitally important step in ensuring that Airedale continues to provide health care of the highest quality for local residents."

Prof Jewell said his role had been a "privilege and a great pleasure" and thanked everyone for their support during his six years as chairman.

Adam Cairns, who took over as chief executive of the Trust yesterday, said: "Brian's wealth of experience both inside and outside the NHS has given sound leadership and strong foundations for the future.

"It has led to Airedale NHS Trust being recognised as an organisation which provides healthcare of the highest quality, both nationally and from its own patients."