BOLTON Hospice will have a new boss within the next two months.

Just a week after the resignation of Pat Sneddon, who was the centre's matron and director of nursing, a new job specification has been drawn up by hospice managers as they try to find her successor.

And they have confirmed the post should be advertised in the next two weeks with an appointment being made sometime in May.

It comes after the shock announcement that Mrs Sneddon had quit her post, from which she had been suspended since February 11.

Sheila Tonge, chairman of the hospice's council of management, said: "Obviously these things do take a while but the principles of the the new job have been discussed.

"We should be advertising in the next two weeks and an appointment should be made in two months time.

"We're drawing up a job specification. We're looking for someone who has got a deep commitment to the hospice service and experience in the field of palliative care."

Both the hospice and Mrs Sneddon, of St Aubin's Road, The Haulgh, have refused to be drawn on the reasons for her leaving her job in which she was responsible for the hospice's administration.

Mrs Sneddon left her post after her employment was "terminated by mutual consent" . It was claimed the move was "in the interest of both the hospice and Mrs Sneddon".

The 41-year-old former matron moved to the Chorley New Road hospice in 1991 following a six year posing at St Rocco's Hospice in Warrington.

Mrs Tonge has confirmed that she or the hospice's treasurer Richard Sutherland will remain in charge of the hospice's administration until a new matron is appointed.

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