AN advert will be placed shortly in a health trade magazine inviting applications for the job of joint chief executive for Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust and West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust.

Kennet and North Wiltshire PCT has been without a permanent chief executive since Barbara Smith's sudden departure last September and Donna Stiles is leaving her post as chief executive at West Wiltshire PCT in April.

Both trusts received zero star ratings, the worst possible, in Department of Health performance tables last year.